‘Pakistanis must practise best hygiene to deal with coronavirus threat’

The citizens of Pakistan should protect themselves against the possible threat of the 2019 novel coronavirus as the World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak of the deadly virus a global health emergency.

At present more than 30,000 people are infected with the virus in China, while over 600 people died of the fatal infection, said Dr Muhammad Rashid, senior research officer at the National Institute of Virology that works at under the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi, on Friday.

He was addressing a public awareness seminar on "Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) and Preventive Strategies" held at the seminar room of the Dr. Panjwani Centre. The Dr Panjwani Centre and the Virtual Education Project Pakistan (VEPP) jointly organised the seminar with an objective to raise public awareness about the current challenges, one being the potential spread of the coronavirus.

Dr Rashid said the citizens were advised to practice the best hygiene. “We should wash hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available,” he said.

“Following the global health issue, the WHO has declared the outbreak of the coronavirus a global emergency, as the outbreak continues to spread outside China,” he added. Dr Rashid stressed the need to aware the citizens about the fatality of coronavirus, and preventive measures that could keep the citizens save against the deadly virus.

He said the 2019 novel coronavirus caused viral pneumonia, with symptoms including cough, fever, and shortness of breath. “In rare cases, it can lead to severe respiratory problems, kidney failure or death,” he maintained.

If someone experienced these symptoms and “had travelled to Wuhan, China within 14 days, they must contact their health care provider”, he said, saying that the citizens needed to cover face with a tissue while coughing and sneezing, and then throw the tissue in the trash.

“We need to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands,” he said and added that sick people were required to stay at home. He said there was no pathological laboratory performing a diagnostic test in Pakistan for the confirmation of coronavirus infections.

Dr Rashid said the first case of the new virus was reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019, while the first death outside China was reported in Philippine. “A recent cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan was caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus,” he added.

He said there was a need to monitor and control all immigrants and visitors, livestock and goods at entry points. “People at all international airports should be scanned for temperature and suspected individuals should be examined in isolation,” he said.

To create awareness about the coronavirus issue, various varsities have been holding seminars. A day earlier on Thursday, a seminar was inaugurated at Ziauddin University, which was titled ‘Coronavirus: world under deadly threat?’.

Addressing the event, Dr Sara Salman, head of the sub office, Sindh, World Health Organisation (WHO), said in 2002, SARS emerged in Southern China and spread to 30 countries and in 2009, H1N1 influenza strain emerged in Mexico and caused worldwide panic.

In 2012, MERS emerged in Saudi Arabia and spread to 27 countries. In 2014, Ebola virus broke out in three West African countries. Today the whole world appears to be in the grip of a new deadly disease, coronavirus, which has emerged from China and is speedily spreading all over the world and becoming a worldwide pandemic, causing more than 24,000 confirmed cases and approximately 490 deaths in China. It has spread to 25 countries of the world.

Discussing the origin and symptoms of the coronavirus, she said: “A novel coronavirus was identified as the source of the illnesses on January 7, with the infection traced to Wuhan seafood market that also sold live animals. It has very common symptoms just like normal flu, including fever, difficult breathing, impaired liver, kidney function, kidney failure, severe cough, pneumonia and unknown incubation period.”

On the role of WHO in Pakistan, Dr Sara further stated that we have taken major safety initiatives to control this virus by installing health information desks at airports to keep an eye on passengers, isolation wards have been set up at public and private hospitals in Sindh, and notifications and dissemination of all guidelines and SOPs have been circulated all over government and private hospitals and institutions.

Talking about viral infectious diseases, including influenza and coronavirus, Dr Nida Hussain, pro-chancellor, Ziauddin University, said: “We all are very well aware of corona; it’s all over the world as WHO has also declared emergency, but thankfully we haven’t received any case in Pakistan yet. Just a common flue is one of the main symptoms. Currently, H1N1 has a higher mortality rate than coronavirus. It is very much present in our communities and hospitals because of the expensive test people don’t even bother to go to the hospitals and get themselves checked.”

She further said: “We need to create awareness about it. People are more likely to get affected by such kinds of viral infections, including pregnant women, children under the age of two, people of heart conditions, people of neurological conditions, anybody with a weak immune systems and kidney problems.”

Giving references of previous deadly viruses, Dr Samreen Sarfaraz, consultant infectious disease, Indus Hospital, said “MERS Co-V had 2,494 cases, 858 deaths and a 37 per cent mortality rate. SARS Co-V had 8,098 cases, 774 deaths, and a 10 per cent mortality rate, while currently we are facing fatal coronavirus with 24,530 confirmed cases, 493 deaths and 2-3 per cent mortality rate.

“It is basically person-to-person spread among close contacts via respiratory droplets. Touching a surface that has the virus on it and then touching own mouth, nose, or eyes can easily make you a coronavirus patient.”