G-B hospital sets up ‘isolation ward’ as precaution against coronavirus outbreak

No confirmed case of China virus has been detected in Pakistan so far

GILGIT: As the fear of novel coronavirus looms almost all over the world, the Gilgit-Baltistan government has taken a preventive and precautionary measure by setting up an ‘isolation ward’ at the main district headquarter hospital to provide treatment to any suspected case of contagious virus.

No confirmed case of the coronavirus – medically named 2019-nCoV – has been detected in Pakistan thus far.

“This is a precautionary measure taken to provide cure at the earliest possible time,” said Farooq Ahmed, an official in the information department, while talking to The Express Tribune on Monday.

The government is very seriously about it but we pray nobody gets infected, he added.

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The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) had declared its five northern districts – Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra and Abbottabad – “most sensitive” due to fear of the mysterious illness.

According to experts, G-B is vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus as it shares boundary via Khunjerab Pass with China where dozens of G-B students are enrolled for higher education.

An inside view of the isolation ward set up at the G-B hospital. PHOTO: EXPRESS

In addition, trade between Pakistan and China through G-B is also a risk-factor threatening the region.

Following the outbreak of the virus, the G-B government last week decided against opening of Khunjerab boarder where dozen of containers loaded with goods had been stuck due to blockage of road by heavy snowfall.

Five K-P districts declared ‘most sensitive’ for novel coronavirus

Earlier in the day, passenger flights from virus-hit China arrived at the Islamabad International Airport – repatriating Pakistanis, including students, stranded in the neighbouring country – as flight operations between the two countries resumed.

On Friday, Pakistan had halted flights to and from China till February 2 flights after the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus as a global health emergency.

“Pakistan is now equipped to diagnose the mysterious contagion after the arrival of at least 1,000 testing kits from China,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza said on Sunday.

He added that as many as 199 health information booths have been set up at various airports to provide answers to queries about the mysterious illness.