Minister quashes claims of Pakistani students contracting coronavirus in China

Zafar Mirza urges Pakistani students in China to register with Embassy

Minister of State Zafar Mirza on Sunday confirmed that no Pakistani student in Wuhan City had contracted coronavirus.

In a tweet, Mirza reassured families of over 500 Pakistani students in the Chinese city where the virus had originated. “No case of coronavirus among them [Pakistanis students] and our Embassy is actively in touch with them.”

177/ Pk Students in China have been informed about the protective measures & they should follow the instructions & be patient. Those still not registered with🇵🇰 Embassy in Beijing should do so at https://t.co/c7IKMIaSfn Be assured we are closely monitoring the situation.

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) January 26, 2020

Mirza said the Pakistani students in China had been informed about the protective measures. “They should follow the instructions and be patient,” he said.

The minister urged students to get registered with the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing.

“Be assured we are closely monitoring the situation,” he emphasised.

Furthermore, the health minister pointed out that the National Institute of Health (NIH) has latest molecular level testing for MERS-CoV, SARS, coronavirus (four varieties), Influenza A&B, RSV and Adenovirus.

“Currently we are ruling out these on suspected samples,” he said. “For novel Coronavirus primers are being procured. It may take three to four days.”

178/ Our Nat Institute of Hlth has latest molecular level testing like MERS-CoV, SARS, Coronavirus (4 varieties), Influenza A&B, RSV, Adenovirus. Currently we are ruling out these on suspected samples. For novel #coronavirus primers are being procured. It may take 3/4 days.

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) January 26, 2020

No lab in Pakistan can test for coronavirus

China on Sunday expanded drastic travel restrictions to contain a viral contagion that has killed 56 people and infected nearly 2,000, as the United States and France prepared to evacuate their citizens from a quarantined city at the outbreak's epicentre.

China has locked down the hard-hit province of Hubei in the country's centre in an unprecedented operation affecting tens of millions of people to slow the spread of a respiratory illness that President Xi Jinping said posed a "grave" threat.

Outside the epicentre, three cities, including Beijing, and an eastern province announced bans on long-distance buses from entering or leaving their borders.

Originating in Hubei's capital of Wuhan, the virus has spread throughout China and around the world, with cases confirmed in around a dozen countries as distant as France, Australia and the United States.

The World Health Organisation puts the number of confirmed cases reported from mainland China at 1,975. “This includes 324 severe cases and 56 people who have died,” the WHO added.

Correction:

The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China 🇨🇳 to date is 1,975.

This includes 324 severe cases and 56 people who have died.#nCoV2019 #nCoV

— World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific (@WHOWPRO) January 26, 2020

Meanwhile,  NIH on Saturday clarified that there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Pakistan as four Chinese nationals have been admitted to hospitals in Multan and Lahore and showing symptoms of the disease.

NIH chief Major General Dr Aamer Ikram said a suspected patient had been admitted to the Nishtar Hospital, Multan and kept in the isolation ward after he showed symptoms of the disease including flu, cough and fever.

According to sources, the Chinese national travelled from China to Dubai and reached Karachi on January 21. After landing in Karachi, he took a flight to Multan.