First death reported in twin cities, 8 more tested positive

Rawalpindi : At least, another eight patients have been tested positive for disease caused by 2019 novel coronavirus, COVID-19 here at the public sector hospitals in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in last 48 hours taking total number of confirmed patients so far reported in the region to 28 while the novel coronavirus claimed the first life in town on Wednesday.

According to details, a female patient who reached Pakistan from the United Kingdom in the second week of March died of COVID-19 here at Military Hospital in town on Wednesday. Sources informed ‘The News’ that her husband has also been tested positive for COVID-19 and is undergoing treatment.

On the other hand, as many as five more patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 at the only public sector healthcare facility dealing with COVID-19 cases in the federal capital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in last 48 hours taking total number of confirmed patients so far reported at PIMS to 20.

Meanwhile in last 48 hours, as many as three more patients have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 taking total number of confirmed patients so far reported in town to eight. Seven of the eight confirmed patients were undergoing treatment at Corona Management Centre at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology while one was undergoing treatment at Benazir Bhutto Hospital on Wednesday.

A total of seven confirmed patients of COVID-19 are undergoing treatment at CMC in RIU and so far the disease has claimed no life, said Medical Superintendent at RIU Dr. Khalid Randhawa while talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Executive District Officer (Health) Dr. Sohail Ahmed Chaudhary when contacted by ‘The News’ on Wednesday said the female patient died of COVID-19 in town was undergoing treatment at MH as she had served as a nurse in military setup. Her brother, however, has been tested positive for COVID-19 in a public sector hospital yesterday, he said.

He added a total of eight patients are undergoing treatment at BBH and CMC in RIU. The patient recently tested positive at BBH would also be shifted to CMC as we have planned to manage all cases there.

So far the COVID-19 has claimed no life at BBH, the hospital designated as the only healthcare facility in northern region of the Punjab province to deal with coronavirus suspects and patients, said President Young Doctors Association at BBH Dr. Rana Azeem while talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

He said the patients confirmed positive at BBH are shifted to CMC for management. The BBH has established a separate unit for screening of COVID-19 suspects that has been receiving 500 to 800 patients daily on average though only few have been suspected or confirmed as COVID-19 patients, he said.

He added there have not been made any arrangements to keep patients separate at the screening unit and if one patient is tested positive, nobody knows how many more would be affected through him at the isolated unit.

To a query, he said the doctors and paramedical staff serving at the screening unit at BBH have not been given any Personal Protective Equipment instead the hospital has provided them a sheet made up of material being used as a replacement of polythene in shopping bags for protection from coronavirus.

He added N-95 masks have also been not given to doctors, nurses and paramedics at the screening unit. Terming it a great negligence on the part of the Punjab government, he said the non-serious attitude of the government may cause spread of the disease that may result in loss of lives.