42 tested positive for COVID-19 in twin cities

Islamabad : As many as 42 patients have been tested positive so far for COVID-19, the disease caused by 2019 novel coronavirus here in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi of which two have been discharged from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences after complete cure while one expired at Military Hospital.

Of 42 patients, 30 were tested positive for COVID-19 at PIMS contradicting the official figure released by the Command and Control Centre that was showing a total of 25 confirmed cases of the disease in the federal capital even on Thursday evening.

According to details, a total of 13 confirmed patients of COVID-19 were undergoing treatment at PIMS on Thursday while two have already been discharged from the hospital after achieving complete cure according to hospital sources. It is important that the PIMS is the only healthcare facility at least till filing of this story that has been dealing with suspects and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the federal capital.

“The PIMS did not admit some 15 confirmed patients of COVIOD-19 instead they were sent home after advice as they were stable and not in need of in-hospital management,” said Executive Director at PIMS Dr. Ansar Maqsood while talking to The News’ on Thursday.

He said more than 300 samples of suspected patients of the disease were sent to National Institute of Health for confirmatory tests of which 30 were tested positive. “In case of confirmed yet stable patients of COVID-19 or those who are asymptomatic, the best option is to keep them in home in isolation,” said Dr. Ansar.

He said the PIMS sent the patients home with proper set of instructions who were tested positive at PIMS but were stable and asymptomatic. Such patients need to stay at home in proper isolation or quarantine, he said.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Thursday reveals that as many as 10 confirmed patients of COVID-19 were undergoing treatment at Corona Management Centre at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology in Rawalpindi while one confirmed patient was undergoing treatment at Benazir Bhutto Hospital on Thursday. The patient undergoing treatment at BBH is in critical condition, said a top official pleading anonymity.

The CMC at RIU has received three more confirmed patients of COVID-19 in last 24 hours taking tally to 10 at the healthcare facility that has been established to manage coronavirus cases some three weeks back.

All the 10 patients undergoing treatment at CMC are in stable condition, said Medical Superintendent at RIU Dr. Khalid Randhawa while talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday.