Spike in number of Karachi deaths: Zafar Mirza says scientific probe underway to determine cause

ISLAMABAD: Christened ‘Yaraan-e-Watan,’ an IT-based platform that will channelize the contributions that the Pakistani medical community abroad is eager to make during the coronavirus catastrophe in their homeland, will be launched today (Saturday).

Re-appearing for the televised briefing after a day’s gap, the PM’s Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that while Pakistan is receiving a lot of aid in the shape of funds, equipment and medical supplies -- both from within the country and abroad -- the 30,000 plus medical fraternity comprising Pakistani doctors, nurses, paramedics, and physiotherapists working in different countries is particularly keen to somehow contribute to the national effort against COVID-19. “Pakistani doctors’ associations in the US, UK and other countries have previously also been involved in capacity-building initiatives, and ‘Yaraan-e-Watan’ will only bring them on board and channelize their possible role in today’s health emergency,” he said.

Referring to the mysterious dead-on-arrival cases reported in Karachi, Dr Zafar said it would be premature to label them all as coronavirus deaths until the cause of death is established through testing. “I had detailed discussions with the Sindh minister for health and we both agreed that without tests, it was highly unfair to attribute all deaths to COVID-19, as is being done in a section of the media,” Dr Zafar said. He stated that while scientific investigations are underway and contact tracing of the dead has begun, all speculations should be put to rest till solid evidence is obtained.

The SAPM said the federal government will issue an advisory today (Saturday) for doctors and nurses working in hospital emergencies. He said the advisory will offer tips on how to receive mysterious death-on-arrival cases, what precautions to take if a patient is clinically suspected of having coronavirus, and which tests to conduct. “A strategy has been devised in collaboration with the Sindh government,” he added.

Dr Zafar said there has been a progressive increase in Pakistan’s coronavirus testing capacity. “As many as 6,264 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, which is by far the largest number of tests in a day,” he said. The minister said that having attained the capability to conduct one million tests, Pakistan will be performing 20,000 tests per day by the end of April as it progresses to reach the target of 30,000 tests per day.

“These tests are critical because they will help us identity and isolate confirmed patients as we try to contain the epidemic,” he maintained. Globally, 2.2 million confirmed Coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide, with 147,000 deaths, 553,000 recoveries, and a case fatality rate of 6.75 percent as against 1.9 percent in Pakistan.

Sharing country data for the last 24 hours, Dr Zafar said, 6,264 tests were performed, leading to confirmation of 497 new cases --340 in Sindh, 59 in Punjab, 58 in KP, 23 in Balochistan, nine in Islamabad, eight in GB, and none in AJK. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan to date is 7,025.

“There have been 11 deaths in the last 24 hours; 135 Pakistanis have lost their lives to the disease so far while 44 are critically ill and on ventilators and 1.765 have fully recovered,” the SAPM shared. Local transmission has soared to 60 percent.

With the holy month of Ramazan around the corner, the government is also developing national guidelines in consultation with various stakeholders, suggesting measures and precautions specific to rituals of the holy month. “The guidelines are being developed through mutual consensus and will shortly be announced,” he said.