Six more die of corona in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus caseload in Pakistan had reached 4,265 with 258 new cases reported within 24 hours on Wednesday.

An official said that a total of 61 deaths had been reported from the disease with six reported during last 24 hours while 25 patients were still in critical condition. He said that 467 patients had recovered.

He added a total 42,159 tests had been conducted while in the last 24 hours, 3,076 tests were conducted. He said 1,036 cases were reported from Sindh, 2,132 from Punjab, 527 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 212 from Balochistan, 83 from Islamabad Capital Territory, 213 in Gilgit Baltistan and 28 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that 34 deaths had been reported from Punjab, 18 from Sindh, 16 from KP, three from GB, and two from Balochistan. He added 269 patients had been recovered in Sindh, 70 in KP, 75 in Balochistan, 15 in GB, 34 in Punjab and three in ICT.

He said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had initiated a call for proposal with regard to innovation on COVID-19 by inviting proposals from universities, technicians and researchers on individual basis or on behalf of organisations. He said that these proposals were invited to have solution to coronavirus in the country.

He added similarly, another initiative of establishing ‘hackathon’ had been launched jointly by the Ministry of National Health Services and National Incubation Centre in coordination with 21 other organisations and companies, including UN establishments.

He added under the programme, individual Pakistanis living inside or abroad would be invited to share their unique ideas or proposals to address the challenges related with the coronavirus in shape of services, products, new research or new idea. He invited all such potential individuals with having any such idea and need support to implement his or her plan.

He added areas had been identified including getting true information, supply chain improvement, hygiene and sanitizer, cleaning of houses and cities, protection of health workers, availability of masks or gloves, etc. He added other missing areas could also be included where they need financial or technical support.

He asked the individuals to reach the website www.nicpakistan.pk/hackathon for further information and sharing their ideas before April 12. He added scrutiny or shortlisting of ideas would be completed on April 13 to 14 while individuals would be informed about their ideas on March 15. He added mentors would be assigned by April 17 to 19 for guidance on subject and giving their help for further improving the ideas.

He said that final shortlist would be announced on April 22. He added after finalisation, every possible assistance would be given to successful individuals for development of such ideas in order to scale up at national level.

M Waqar Bhatti adds from Karachi: Meanwhile, a nine-member medical experts delegation of China led by Ma Minghui called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and shared their experience to contain coronavirus.

They asked the chief minister to ensure social distancing among the people, otherwise spread of infection could not be controlled. They said in their own experience strict lockdown brought the COVID-19 under control. The chief minister said that he has also closed the government offices, schools and closed all business centers and even factories and public transport. “This is how we have managed to contain it but still we have to take further more measures to save our people,” he said. Murad Ali Shah said that due to shortage of testing kits and equipment, his government could not conduct tests of all the people. “We are testing those who have travel history and family members of the positive cases,” he said. The visiting delegation assured the chief minister that they would provide with their expertise and equipment to the provincial government.

Amer Malik adds from Lahore: The Covid-19 fatalities are steadily increasing with the spike in coronavirus cases in Punjab as ninth death occurred in Lahore on Wednesday among 17 casualties in the province so far.

Shabana Zaheer, 32, was admitted to the Mayo Hospital five days back after testing positive for coronavirus. According to the hospital spokesman, the female Covid-19 patient having renal problems breathed her last on Wednesday. The pandemic has broken the myth that only elderly people are most vulnerable to coronavirus as it is claiming lives of young people as well. The death of a young female patient occurred after a 42-year-old man died in Jinnah Hospital in Lahore on Tuesday, which showed a worrying sign that the Covid-19 infection is not sparing anyone.

So far 17 patients have died in the province including nine in Lahore, four in Rawalpindi and one each in Rahim Yar Khan, Jhelum, Faisalabad and Gujrat. As many as 34 virus patients have recovered so far.

As many as 136 new COVID-19 patients were reported from across the province on Wednesday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 2,166.

Earlier it was reported that out of 2,108 confirmed Covid-19 patients, 744 are preachers of Tableeghi Jamaat, 695 are pilgrims who recently returned from Iran, 58 prisoners and 744 citizens who either had travel history or fell victim to local transmission. Of the 744 confirmed preachers, 455 are at a quarantine centre at Raiwind, 31 in Hafizabad, 17 in Layyah, 16 in Sargodha, 15 in Rahim Yar Khan, 14 in Vehari, 10 each in Sheikhupura and Jhelum, nine in Gujrat, eight in Bahawalnagar, six each in Rawalpindi and Sialkot, four in Khushab, three in Mandi Bahauddin, two in Nankana Sahib and one each in Bhakkar and Rajanpur. As many as 10,263 preachers who have recently attended Tableeghi Ijtema are at quarantine centres in 33 districts for testing and isolation.

Out of 695 confirmed patients from amongst pilgrims, 457 are at quarantine centre in Multan, 220 in Dera Ghazi Khan and 18 in Faisalabad. So far 744 citizens have been tested positive for the virus in 28 districts of the province. These people either have a travel history or they got infected through local transmission.

The highest number of cases has been reported from Lahore where 340 patients are under treatment at different centres. As many as 98 patients are under treatment in Gujrat, 63 in Rawalpindi, 39 in Gujranwala, 30 in Jhelum, 21 in Faisalabad, 19 in Sialkot, 18 in DG Khan, 15 in Mandi Bahauddin, 13 each in Nankana Sahib and Vehari, 10 in Mianwali, nine each in Kasur and Bahawalnagar, eight in Chiniot, six each in Hafizabad, Narowal and Sargodha, four in Multan, three each in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Lodhran and one each in Sheikhupura, Attock, Layyah, Okara and Khushab.

The Punjab Health Department has forwarded SOPs for handling of COVID-19 patients and saving other prisoners in jails to the Home Department. The Primary and Secondary Healthcare (P&SH) Department spokesperson said that all patients are being taken care of at quarantine centres and isolation wards at public sector hospitals, while serious patients are being treated in High Dependency Units (HDUs). He urged people to stay at home, frequently wash hands and use hand sanitizer. He advised social distancing and adopting precautionary measures while attending sick family members.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid informed that, to date, a total of 29,158 tests have been conducted in Punjab including 10,995 at public sector labs, 7,332 at NIH lab and 10,831 at private labs including at SKMCH, where tests were conducted free, and Chughtai Lab. “As a result of increased capacity of testing, as many as 2,108 have been tested positive, the rest are negative.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that currently 6,584 tests per day are being conducted for coronavirus in Pakistan. “We plan to increase daily testing capacity for coronavirus up to 20,000 per day in the coming days,” he added.