No single coronavirus case confirmed in country: Dr Zafar

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza declared on Wednesday there had not been a single confirmed case of coronavirus in the country. Mirza, while briefing Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, which held its meeting under the chairmanship of Senator Ghaus Niazi said that the government had made all arrangements to deal with coronavirus that had claimed over 1,000 lives in China.

The meeting briefly discussed the preventive measures taken by Pakistan with regard to coronavirus epidemic. Dr Mirza said all samples sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) turned out negative and no case of the deadly virus was reported in Pakistan. The committee approved "the Unani Ayurvedic and Homeopathic practitioners (Amendment) Bill, 2019", which was proposed by Senator Dr Mehr Taj Roghani. The mover of the bill said that diploma in homeopathy and Unani must be of four years after passing secondary school certificate with science subjects.

The officials of the Homeopathy Council Pakistan also supported the idea of four years diploma after passing FSC, saying that it would bring positive changes.

Dr Mirza informed the body that the government had taken all possible measures to protect citizens from coronavirus and its spread in the country. He added that there was no coronaavirus patient in the country Dr Mirza said Pakistan embassy in China was also in touch with the Pakistani students in China and four Pakistani students who were suffering from Coronavirus disease were gradually improving and were stable now.

He said that the government had adopted special measures at all airports of the country, while in early days, all flights from China were suspended. Dr Mirza added now flights from China had started arriving in Islamabad and Karachi where all preventive measures had been adopted.

He said that instructions had been issued to all major hospitals to make arrangements to receive possible cases and provide them necessary care. Dr Mirza said that a meeting was being held on a daily basis to monitor the situation and revise the facilities and services plan for suspected patients.

He however, made it clear that so far no coronavirus patient was received at any hospital. Dr Mirza said that he was personally monitoring the situation and meeting every 48 hours with heads of hospitals, health institutions and all relevant departments to review the situation.

He said that the ministry had established contact with all provincial chief ministers, provincial health departments and relevant ministries including interior dealing with Immigration, Aviation Division and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ensure there was seamless coordination and that efforts were synergized, timely and effective.

Dr Mirza said that the National Institute of Health (NIH) had already issued an advisory and alert on novel coronavirus to all provincial health departments and specially points of entries (PoEs) at all airports and ground crossing in the country.

He said that the advisory was issued with a purpose to alert and sensitize the health staff all over the country to remain vigilant about any suspected cases coming from affected areas of China and for early detection of suspected cases of novel coronavirus infection.

Dr Mirza said that the NIH had activated its Emergency Operations Center to monitor the international dynamics of disease and coordination with the Central Health Establishment (CHE), the World Health Organization (WHO) and provincial Health departments for national prevention and control.

He said that those who had or a person near them had travelled to or from China within the last 14 days and developed suggestive symptoms including unexplained fever, cough or breathing difficulty, should seek medical attention.