Punjab reports first corona case as tally rises to 53 in Pakistan

Ag APP

By News report

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The nation's tally now stands at 53, after another case was reported in Punjab, the first in the province, reported local media on Sunday.

The first corona patient in the Punjab province has been identified in Lahore who came to Pakistan from Europe via Dubai on March 10, sources told The News here on Sunday.

“When this patient reached Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore he had no symptoms of the coronavirus due to which the medical team deputed for screening of passengers arriving in international flights got him cleared,” the sources said.

The sources said when this patient fell ill couple of days ago he conducted his medical test at a private laboratory where he was diagnosed as a coronavirus patient. They said the private laboratory immediately informed the provincial health ministry that contacted the patient who showed hesitation to come to a government hospital.

The sources said a medical team along with some policemen brought the patient to a government hospital observing complete health protocol introduced by World Health Organisation (WHO). “The sample of his blood was sent to a government laboratory to carry out his further tests that confirmed his disease that was earlier diagnosed at the private laboratory,” the sources said.

The sources said the provincial health ministry also got details of all the persons who came into contact with this person after his return to Pakistan and started carrying out their medical tests to see whether coronavirus has been transmitted to any of them.

As far as precautionary measures are concerned, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 in the province to tackle the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the Punjab Chief Secretary, the Section 144 has been imposed for three weeks in the province to contain the spread of the infection. All educational institutions in the province will remain closed and the teaching staff will also not be permitted to enter schools, colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, the husband of 30-year-old woman who tested positive for coronavirus in Islamabad has also contracted this disease.

The sources said the health ministry sent his blood sample for screening where he tested positive after which the blood samples of other people are also being taken who came into contact with these two persons

It was reported that the woman was traveled from the United States to Pakistan recently. The woman’s condition was critical and she was taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where she was placed on a ventilator.

Meanwhile, the sheltered homeless people, who may be at the risk of contracting the COVID-19, are being educated against the lethal virus that has been declared as pandemic for devouring several lives across the globe.

With confirmed cases tally increases to over two dozen in Pakistan, the government being cognizant of the situation has issued health advisory for safety of the residents and beneficiaries of shelter homes, set up across the country to facilitate the downtrodden segments of society. “The health advisory containing precautionary measures against COVID-19 has been forwarded to volunteers and service providers of Panah Gahs to ensure safety of its dwellers and those who are visiting its ‘Lungar Khanas’ (food centers),” Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Shelter Homes Naseem Ur Rehman said during his visit to the G-9 facility.

Meanwhile, eighteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Sindh on Sunday, taking the provincial total to 35.

The Health and Population Welfare Department of Sindh confirmed the tally, saying that thirteen new cases had returned to Sukkur via Taftan where they had been under quarantine.

The remaining five cases were reported in Karachi on Sunday.

Karachi has so far been the worst-affected city in Sindh, with a total of 22 cases. The Sindh health department has reported five new cases in the city Sunday.

According to an update earlier in the day by the department, three of the affected persons returned from Saudi Arabia a few days ago and one has no recent travel history.

Later in the day, Senator Murtaza Wahab, the advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister on Law, said that one more case has emerged. The patient hails from Balochistan and arrived in Karachi on March 14.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Sunday that Prime Minister Imran Khan was personally supervising the steps taken to overcome coronavirus in the country.

In a series of tweets, the SAPM said the government has taken these measures to cope with the international challenge of corona in the interest and for protection of people of Pakistan. She said these measures were also being acknowledged by World Health Organisation (WHO) as endorsed by its country representative. Firdous Ashiq Awan expressed the hope that the virus will be defeated with national harmony and solidarity. She said it is difficult time but the nation will come out of it successfully.