Coronavirus quarantine facility ready for patients

Rawalpindi : The quarantine facility that got operational on February 8 here at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology in town for novel coronavirus quarantine received not a single person so far nor any of the hospitals in this region of the country has received any suspect of illness caused by the virus.

The Punjab health department has established the quarantine facility at the under construction RIU for keeping suspects or travellers in quarantine in the northern part of the province while in the northern region, Benazir Bhutto Hospital has already been designated as the specialized healthcare facility to deal with coronavirus cases.

To date, the coronavirus quarantine facility received no person in need of quarantine and it hints that so far, we do not have a single suspect of illness caused by new coronavirus that has been given official name of COVID-19, said Medical Superintendent at RIU Dr. Khalid Randhawa while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

He added the 50-bed quarantine facility that has already arranged staff from the three teaching hospitals in town has been equipped with personal protective equipment and the staff has also been trained in bio- safety measures and barrier nursing techniques.

Medically, a quarantine is restriction on the movement of people and goods in some cases intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests preventing the movement of those who may have been exposed to a communicable disease and suspected of carrying some infectious or contagious disease, but do not have a confirmed medical diagnosis.

It is a strict isolation imposed upon ships, persons, animals, or plants on arrival at a port or place from infected areas.

It is important that receiving no person at the quarantine facility means that not a single person or traveller reaching here from China or anywhere else from the infected areas has been found with signs and symptoms of coronavirus related illness or all travellers reaching here from the infected areas have already completed quarantine period.

Dr. Randhawa said the facility would keep persons under observation only and in case of any sign or symptom, the patient would be moved to Benazir Bhutto Hospital for management.

APP adds: Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has taken strict notice of selling novel Coronavirus (nCOV) preventive gears at increased rates by the chemists.

In a notification issued here, DRAP had come to know that surgical masks, N-95 masks, Tyvek suit (a protective clothing that shields like armour to prevent contact with hazardous elements in different critical situations), goggles, disposable bags and other items were being sold at very high prices in the market.

DRAP in its statement had maintained that selling necessary equipment at an increased cost during emergency conditions was against the Islamic teachings and contradiction of state laws.

Keeping this in view, all chemists, pharmacists, medical store owners, whole sale dealers, importers and other concerned were directed to sale nCOV safety equipment on December, 2019 rates and abstain from increasing its prices, it added.

DRAP had advised the general public to report any chemists, pharmacist or retailer selling the aforementioned goods at higher prices to the concerned Drug Inspector DRAP on the following numbers, DRAP Islamabad 0300-5277129, DRAP Lahore 0333-4891155, DRAP Karachi 0321-9535828, DRAP Peshawar 0345-9174582.