Punjab reports 613 new coronavirus cases, 21 deaths: Online examinations for MBBS Year IV and Final begins

LAHORE: There is no let up in spread of COVID-19, as Punjab has reported 613 fresh cases and 21 deaths over the past 24 hours taking the provincial tally of cases to 124,804 and deaths to 3,242 people. Pakistan has reported 1,797 recoveries in the past 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries to 372,271, which is 85 percent of the total cases in the country.

Dean Institute of Public Health, Prof Dr Zarfishan Tahir, while addressing an orientation session on COVID-19 molecular diagnostics, personal protection, data recording, reporting of Lab tests etc., at IPH said that a visible surge has been observed in the percentage of positive reports of coronavirus PCR tests performed in the BSL-III Lab of the institute and there are chances of increasing numbers of patients in the 2nd wave, therefore, doctors, laboratory staff have to work more dedicatedly with professional zeal to face the future challenges.

She said that the procedure of COVID-19 testing in PCR Lab of IPH is of international standard with 100% accuracy. So far, 40,000 COVID-19 tests have been performed in the Lab.

Dr Zarfiahan further said that PCR Coronavirus test Lab of IPH is a very advanced lab equipped with modern gadgets. On the other hand, in view of the growing threat of Coronavirus across the country, online examinations for MBBS Year IV and Final Year at Ameer Uddin Medical College have started from Wednesday which will continue till January 7, 2021. Online "Send Up" Examinations has been started to protect students and teachers from COVID-19 and to implement the Government's SOPs and this online system has been started at AMC as well.

Principal PGMI/AMC Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar while inaugurating the Online Examination Center at LGH said that modern technology has been used to make the Online Examination System foolproof so that students cannot be able to copy each other. For this purpose, the picture of each student will be clearly visible on the screen to the monitoring staff sitting in the examination control room so that the students cannot get help from another person.

Prof Al-freed said that Coronavirus has changed the lifestyle of people all over the world, modern technology and latest trends have become a norm in Pakistan due to this epidemic.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020