Key Highlights
- Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has climbed to 18
- The latest confirmed case is an Engro employee in Karachi
- About 12 new cases were reported within the past 24 hours
- Contacts of the infected are being traced and tested
- Zafar Mirza said earlier today that Karachi’s new cases are in ‘stable clinical condition’
- Sindh government may issue an advisory on avoiding public gatherings
The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Pakistan has reached 18 with the latest case reported from Karachi where an Engro employee has contracted the deadly virus.
Earlier today, the State Minister of Health of Pakistan, Dr. Zafar Mirza, broke the news of 9 new cases on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/zfrmrza/status/1237103681390161922
All patients have been transferred to isolation wards and other contacts of the family are being traced, Dr. Mirza confirmed.
Following the confirmation of new cases, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has ordered all public and private hospitals to share the details of all patients exhibiting pneumonia symptoms with the health ministry to contain the virus from spreading further.
The first confirmed case of coronavirus in Pakistan was reported on 26th February. Out of 18 confirmed cases of the disease, 15 have been reported in Karachi.
5:00pm Two More Persons Tested Positive for Coronavirus in Karachi
Sindh Health Department has confirmed that the number of persons who have contracted the Coronavirus in Pakistan has risen to 19.
According to a spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department, the first new case is from Hyderabad and the patient arrived from Syria via Doha, while the second case emerged in Karachi who arrived from Iran via Dubai.
4:30pm Engro Office to Remain Closed for Three Days After an Employee Tested Positive
Confirming the reports, a press statement from Engro said, “This, afternoon at 1:00pm, we were informed that an employee of Engro Corporation on 8th floor of The Harbor Front (THF) building has tested positive for the COVID-19 Coronavirus.”
The employee is reported to have last been in office for only a few hours on Friday, March 6, 2020.
The company says that although medical experts see no need for office closure, it would still keep the offices closed over the next three days as a precautionary measure during which disinfection of the entire office premises will be ensured.
The company has instructed all employees to closely monitor their health over the next two weeks and seek immediate medical advice if any flu-like symptoms are observed.
3:45pm No change in PSL game schedule, says PCB
PCB has announced that all PSL matches will take place as per the schedule.
The announcement has come in response to rumors surrounding the rescheduling of PSL matches due to Coronavirus spread.
3:15pm Another Coronavirus case emerges in Karachi
A reliable source has confirmed ProPakistani that a new Coronavirus case has emerged in Karachi taking the total number of confirmed cases to 17.
The new victim of the deadly virus is identified as an employee of Engro Corp.
According to sources, the employee was taken away from the office during working hours and put in isolation. Authorities are investigating how the person contracted the virus.
This can be an alarming situation as more people from the office or building could now be exposed to COVID-19.
2:00pm: Pakistan Gets 12,000 Coronavirus Detection Kits from China Worth $2,000 Each
Pakistan has imported 12,000 coronavirus testing kits from China that have arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.
The government of Pakistan had requested the Chinese government to send these kits, worth $2,000 each.
Each of the kits can be used to test 1000 samples.
Read full news here.
1:30pm: ‘No extension in Sindh schools closure,’ Murtaza Wahab
Adviser to Chief Minister of Sindh on Law, Anti-Corruption Establishment, and information Murtaza Wahab has said that Sindh educational institutions will reopen from March 16 as announced previously.
He added that the situation was being closely monitored and the decision on any further extension will depend on how the situation develops.
1:00pm: CM Sindh’s brother-in-law tests positive for COVID-19
Dawn News TV has reported that brother-in-law of the Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has tested positive for Covid-19. He had recently returned from Iran.
12:30pm – New Coronavirus cases ‘in stable condition’, says Zafar Mirza
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza in his new tweet has said that the new Coronavirus cases patients are in stable condition.
He further revealed that all of the new patients were ‘asymptomatic’ and were identified during contact tracing of an existing COVID-19 patient.
241/ The confirmed cases in Khi last evening are in stable clinical condition, almost all of them are asymptotic. They all had travel history and were picked up during contact tracing of an existing #COVID19 patient.
— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) March 10, 2020
Read our previous coverage of Coronavirus here.
Time for lockdown is now close entry and exit points of all cities if you still don’t do it then you will be responsible for what is coming next.
oh please stop calling it “Deadly Virus” already too much fake panic in the world.
i hope that you get the virus, then you’ll know that it’s fake panic or not.
He is true in a sense that it is lab created virus and main purpose of it is to create anarchy in the world many paid actors are hired in pro*tit*ute media to spread fear and to destroy developing countries economy we wont let this happen here so he is urging calm moreover if you stay healthy there is nothing be afraid.
true, it’s not as deadly as the media portrays