Corona infects 100 doctors, paramedics

ISLAMABAD: Around 100 doctors and paramedics treating patients at different hospitals across the country have fallen victim to the coronavirus, it has been learnt.

Of the affected doctors, 25 were affected in Karachi, 18 in Multan, 16 in Dera Ghazi Khan, five each in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Gujrat, 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 21 in Balochistan.

Fourteen people succumbed to coronavirus in Pakistan during the last 24 hours —the highest in a day — raising the death toll to 93, disclosed Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza in his daily briefing here on Sunday.

Half of the confirmed patients so far are indigenous cases with no history of foreign travel, meaning that local transmission of the deadly virus is fast multiplying across populated areas. “Of the 50 people who were on the ventilator until yesterday, 14 have lost their battle,” he said.

The number of confirmed cases stood at 5,362, with Sindh reporting 1,411 cases, Punjab 2,594, Balochistan 230, KP 744, Islamabad 119, GB 224, and AJK 40 till the filing of the report at 1:55am.

Dr Zafar warned that the numbers could increase in the days to come, “which is why we keep repeating the importance of social distancing, personal hygiene, self-isolation, and other protective measures.”

Zafar said 37 critical patients in Pakistan were currently on the ventilator, while hospital admissions had soared to 1,440. Of the 5,038 confirmed cases (as of 6.30 p.m.), 254 were reported during the last 24 hours only —again a high number.

Sindh reported maximum cases (104) in the last 24 hours, followed by Punjab (89), KP (45), Balochistan (8), ICT (6), AJK (1), and Gilgit-Baltistan (1). Dr. Zafar said half of the confirmed patients acquired the virus from local inhabitants and had no personal travel history to any of the Covid-19 affected countries.

In terms of recovery, 1,026 patients have regained health after falling prey to the disease. As many as 17,332 people are registered in quarantines across the country. Of these, 2,684 have tested positive; the percentage of positive cases in quarantines is 18%, which is a declining trend.

The case fertility rate in Pakistan is now 1.7 as against the global 6.1. Dr Zafar urged the medical fraternity to desist from misuse of N95 masks and other protective gear and to spare the specialized equipment for the frontline workers directly engaged in the treatment and management of patients.

“Let there be rational use of PPEs in line with WHO recommendations. Every health worker does not need N95 mask, and those who are indiscriminately using them are doing so at the cost of those who need them the most. Please act responsibly,” Dr. Zafar urged.

He particularly praised the Gilgit-Baltistan government for efficient handling and management of COVID-19, and astute monitoring of individual cases. “Despite the difficult terrain, they have done a tremendous job, particularly with reference to creation of quarantine facilities for the 2,000 pilgrims returning from Iran.

“As many as 1,488 tests have so far been done in GB, with 216 confirmed cases, of which 146 have recovered, 57 are in the recovery process, and 3 have died,” he shared, assuring that the food security and testing-related challenges being faced in GB will be responded to soon.

Dr. Zafar said the prime minister would hold a press conference tomorrow after chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee, in which important decisions for the coming weeks were likely to be taken.

He added that how the situation will evolve in the days to come will depend entirely on how meticulously we follow the simple but critical precautions against the disease. “This is within our hands; it is a preventable problem, and we can prevent it if we protect ourselves and the people around us,” he concluded.

Earlier in the day, Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umer chaired the daily review meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

The session primarily focused on formulating recommendations for the April 13 NCC meeting, which will announce further containment measures post-April 14. The participants discussed various options, weighed their pros and cons, and finalized recommendations.

The progress achieved during the last 47 days — right from detection of the first case on February 26 —was discussed, with health projections till April 30, medical supply line management, and procurement and distribution plan of critical requirements. Asad Umer emphasised the need for effect-based measures to overcome the pandemic.

“Local transmission is increasing, particularly in populated areas. This warrants immediate containment measures,” he proposed. Pakistan’s strategy was termed being on the right track in the light of international best practices and grey areas.

The forum appreciated all provinces, AJK, GB, and ICT for efficient enforcement and containment measures. Minister for industries gave a detailed plan of action on domestic transport (land and rail) and industries.

The possibility of phased easing of industries was the central theme of the plan, which will be presented in the NCC meeting for final decision-making. The meeting was attended by ministers for interior, industries, energy, economic affairs, food and security, and commerce, among others.

Meanwhile, as many as 39 new Covid-19 patients were reported across Punjab Sunday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 2,594. Out of total confirmed patients, 758 are preachers of Tableeghi Jamaat, 701 pilgrims who recently returned from Iran, 80 prisoners and 925 citizens who either had travel history or fell victim to local transmission. So far 21 patients have died in the province while 39 defeated the deadly virus.

Of the 758 confirmed Covid-19 preachers, 463 are at quarantine centre in Raiwind, 57 in Bhakkar, 35 each in Hafizabad, Sargodha and Jhelum, 25 in Vehari, 19 in Sialkot, 16 in Layyah, 13 in Mandi Bahauddin, 10 in Gujrat, nine in Bahawalnagar, eight in Sheikhupura, seven in Mianwali, six each in Rawalpindi and Faisalabad, four in Rahim Yar Khan, three in Narowal, two each in Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala and Khushab and one in 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 701 confirmed patients from amongst pilgrims, 457 are at quarantine centre in Multan, 221 in Dera Ghazi Khan and 23 in Faisalabad. So far 925 citizens have also been tested positive for the virus from across the province. These persons either have a travel history or they got infected through local transmission. The highest number of cases has been reported from Lahore where 426 patients are under treatment at different centres.

As many as 134 patients are under treatment in Gujrat, 69 in Rawalpindi, 38 in Gujranwala, 31 in Faisalabad, 29 in Jhelum, 27 in Sialkot, 22 in Rahim Yar Khan, 18 in DG Khan, 16 in Nankana Sahib, 13 in Vehari, 12 in Hafizabad, 10 each in Mianwali and Sheikhupura, nine in Kasur, eight each in Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal and Chiniot, five each in Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur, four each in Chakwal and Multan, three each in Khushab and Lodhran, two in Toba Tek Singh and one each in Attock, Layyah, Okara and Jhang.

Out of the 80 Covid-19 patients in jails, 59 are in Lahore, 14 in Sialkot and seven in Gujranwala. Punjab Health Department has forwarded SOPs to the home department for handling of coronavirus patients and saving other prisoners in jails.

According to spokesperson for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, critical patients were immediately shifted to the 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.

On the other hand, police shifted 13 corona-hit persons of two families living in Rustam Park, Gulshan-e-Ravi, to local hospitals. Police also locked the houses and sealed the area after discovering six and seven members of two families suffering from coronavirus.

Meanwhile, thirteen doctors, four paramedics and two visitors have tested positive for corona at the Nishtar Hospital in Multan. The affected health personnel had attended a corona suspect in the hospital and later his report came positive. Among the infected doctors are postgraduate registrars, house officers and a majority of them is serving at the hospital ward no 11. The two female doctors are being treated at the Nishtar Hospital while others are expected to be shifted to the Muzaffargarh Tayyip Erdogan Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, 55 corona suspects, including nine doctors, were admitted to the Nishtar Hospital. They were under treatment at the hospital wards no 26, 27, 28 and 29. The suspects belong to Multan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Khanewal districts while 19 of them were women.

The suspects are Dr Ali Ammar, Dr Umair, Dr Fawad, Dr Shahzeb, Dr Rana Mubashir, Dr Ehtesham, Dr Yousaf Gilani, Dr Amir, Dr Asif, Dr Mahnoor, Dr Qaisar, Dr Fakhir, Humaira, Surraiya, Rabia, Fiza Kanwal, Sadia, Amber, Maria, Rehana, Sumaira, Majida, Nazia, Rozina, Abeel, Tahir, Naeem, Javed Masih, Waleed, Javed, Husnain, Naseem, Iqrar, Zahid, Salman, Zafar Rizwan, Ehtesham, Mohiza Mehrban, Shahbaz Ismail, Khadim Walidad, Ali Raza, Jahangir Ali, Haroon, Najeebullah, Hafeez, Abbas, Dr Zeeshan, Dr Athar Saeed, Dr Sajjad, Shah Zaman, Parveen, Zulfiqar, Rehmatullah and Hameeda.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Sunday said during the last 24 hours 93 new cases of coronavirus had been detected while two more patients succumbed to the infection.

He said during the last 24 hours, 569 tests were conducted, of which 93 were diagnosed as positive. “The number of tests conducted so far comes to 13,309, while tally of the positive cases has risen to 1411,” he said.

He said during last 24 hours two more patient died raising the death toll to 30 or 2.1 percent of the total patients. The number of patients recovered during the last 24 hours is 18, Mr Shah said, adding that so far 389 patients had recovered and returned to their respective homes.

The percentage of cured patients in terms of the total positive cases is 28 percent, the chief minister calculated.

Giving details of the patients, Mr Shah said at present, 645 were in home isolation, 60 at isolation centers and 992 under treatment at different hospitals.

Talking about frequency of the age of the patients, Mr Shah said that 71 patients were between 1 to 10 years, 118 between 11 to 20 years, 311 between 21 to 30 year, 260 between of 31 to 40 years, 196 of 41 to 50 years, 226 between 51 to 60 years, 152 between 61 to70 years, 47 between 71 to 80 years and five between 81 to 90 years. “This shows that the people of every age is prone to the virus, therefore we all have to be careful in our movement and must maintain social distancing even at home,” he urged the people.

The chief minister also disclosed a new data under which he said 68.3 percent male and 31.7 percent female have been affected.

“The ratio show that the male members have been affected more than the female because male members frequently go out of their homes and do not care of social distancing as has been advised by the experts,” he said and added then the male members become carriers of the virus and bring it back to their homes.

He once again urged the people to maintain social distancing, observe lockdown properly, otherwise we would not be able to contain the virus.

Meanwhile, three more people died of coronavirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, raising the death toll 34. Also, with 47 more confirmed cases of COVID-19, the number of total positive cases reached 744.

In the last 24 hours, according to the officials, the three dead persons had a history of Tableegh travel. Out of a total of 744 confirmed patients, 211 are admitted to various hospitals of the province with 202 stable and nine on the ventilator.