It was revealed by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza late yesterday that the count of confirmed coronavirus cases has now reached 28 in the country.
Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, PM’s aide on Information and Broadcasting, said, “There is a lot of speculation about the total number of cases in the country. However, I can confirm that Pakistan has 28 confirmed cases of coronavirus.”
The high-powered Security Council meeting took place yesterday where significant decisions were taken for all provinces to curb coronavirus spread.
Some of them included a ban on weddings and other social gatherings for 14 days, closure of western borders, calling off Pakistan Day parade, spectator-less PSL matches, international flight operations from Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore airports only, and country-wide closure of academic institutions till April 5.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 continues to shock and paralyze the world. 5,000 deaths and over 140,000 cases have been reported so far with the WHO declaring Europe as the epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are the latest updates:
04:11 pm | 30th Case reported in Karachi
The man had returned from Saudi Arabia and has been tested positive for coronavirus. Overall, this is the 30th confirmed case of the virus in Pakistan, 16th in Sindh.
#Sindh Health Department has a new cases of Corona Virus in Karachi. The patient arrived from Saudi Arab a few days back and was tested positive today. This brings the total number of cases to 16 in Sindh out of which 2 have recovered and sent home and 14 are under treatment.
— Health, SW, PHE & RD Department, Sindh (@SindhHealthDpt) March 14, 2020
02:30 pm | Another coronavirus case is confirmed in Islamabad
A 30-year-old woman who flew in from the US has been tested positive in the capital city. The woman has been admitted in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital and her condition has been reported as critical.
This takes the total number of reported cases to 29 in Pakistan.
02.18 pm | Newborn baby tests positive for Covid-19
According to The Guardian, the youngest case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the UK. A newborn baby was tested positive in the North Middlesex University Hospital in London. The child is suspected to be infected from their mother.
10.00 am | We have all a role to play to fight this disease: Dr. Zafar Mirza
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza has urged citizens to take precautionary measures and show responsibility to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Steps taken by NCS today are necessary to protect Pakistan from #COVID19. We have all a role to play to fight this disease. Take precautionary measures; Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, stay away from sick people, self quarantine if sick and avoid large gatherings. -255
— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) March 13, 2020
9.00 am | Sindh Govt. Sets Up 15 Heath Desks at Karachi Airport
CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah in a tweet has informed that since the federal government was not checking people at Karachi airport, Sindh govt. has set up 15 health desks at the airport since last night.
All travellers from Iran (2,355 people) have been kept in quarantine.2,295 have completed their quarantine period & remaining 60 will complete by 18th March. Sindh Govt has also established a quarantine centre in Sukkur for residents of Sindh who were being kept at Taftan border.
— Murad Ali Shah (@MuradAliShahPPP) March 13, 2020
Read over coverage on Coronavirus from March 13th here.
