NIH issues pneumonia advisory

Islamabad : The National Institute of Health has issued advisory on pneumonia outbreak due to novel coronavirus in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.

According to an NIH official, the advisory is meant to alert and sensitise the health staff at border posts as well as in healthcare institutions of Pakistan to stay vigilant about any suspected cases coming from affected areas for an early detection.

He said a recent surge of pneumonia cases, associated with the novel coronavirus, had been reported in China.

The official said the Chinese authorities had notified more than 200 confirmed human infections, while cases had also been reported in Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. He said the situation had urged the neighbouring countries to enhance their surveillance and vigilance for response in case of detection. The official said the NIH was monitoring the situation and will keep all stakeholders updated.