ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan confirmed two cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19)-one each in capital Islamabad and port city Karachi and government asked the people not to panic.
“I can confirm first two cases of Corona Virus in Pakistan. Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable,” Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Zafar Mirza confirmed in a tweet on Wednesday evening.
“No need to panic, things are under control,” he added.
Speaking at a late-night press conference in country’s southern city Quetta, Mirza said one of the cases was reported in Sindh while the second was confirmed in “federal areas”. He added that both the affected persons had travelled to Iran in the last two weeks but refused to comment further on the two cases.
“Both of them travelled to Iran recently and I think it is necessary to tell the people that we should not panic,” he said, emphasizing on prevention and showing responsibility.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Sindh health department confirmed that the 22-year-old patient — Pakistan’s first case — had arrived by air in plane from Iran and has a history of travel to Tehran from where he reportedly acquired the virus.
He was suffering from Coronavirus symptoms while he was in Iran, it mentioned.
The young man and his family were immediately placed in quarantine at a private hospital on the National Stadium Road. The federal health department was, as of reporting time, examining the passengers he has travelled with.
Further, sources informed The News Today that the government of Balochistan has stopped pilgrims from travelling to Iran via Taftan border.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard operating procedures (SOP) dictate that everyone who came into contact with the infected person should be checked for the virus.
The 22-year-old’s condition reportedly started to deteriorate on February 18 and he underwent a hijama, or cupping therapy, at a local health centre in Iranian city of Mashhad. After that, he suffered from a headache.
He arrived in Karachi on February 20, indicating that there were chances that the thermal screening machines at the airports for those entering the country may not have worked after all.
The machines are supposed to immediately detect higher-than-usual body temperature.
Sindh government spokesperson Senator Murtaza Wahab confirmed the case and said: “All safety measures have been taken and we will take emergency steps after this case. Most arrangements are being made by the centre but the Sindh government will play its part as well.”
Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial government was “working to procure the data of the infected” under Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s orders.
“We are taking the data of all the people who were travelling with the infected person on his flight,” he added. “There are three isolation wards in Sindh, one in Civil Hospital [Dr Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital], one in Jinnah [Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC)], and one in AKUH [Aga Khan University Hospital].
“The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Sindh, has also been alerted” in this regard.
Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said they had “learned with heavy heart of two confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan”.
“We hope the speedy recovery of the patients. China stands ready to work with Pakistan in the fight against COVID-19,” it added.
Read: Coronavirus a serious threat to Pakistan
Late last week, Pakistan closed off its border with Iran, where 19 people have died of coronavirus so far, while another 139 people — including the country’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi — were infected. Tehran’s death toll is the highest than any country other than China.
The virus has originated in China, where it has killed more than 2,700 people so far.
Around the world, over 80,000 people have been infected with coronavirus, as per the World Health Organization (WHO), with most of the cases in China — above 78,000.
Read:Death toll from coronavirus touches 2,700 in China
