Coronavirus and Pakistan

As the number of coronavirus patients increase, the world gears itself for a potential pandemic. What does this hold for Pakistan?

Originating in a seafood market in the city of Wuhan, China, the contagious coronavirus infection has transcended international borders with approximately 500 cases in 12 different countries including the US, Australia, Canada, Britain, Spain, Germany, and France.

The latest reports put coronavirus deaths close to 1,400 with 63,000 confirmed cases across China. The death toll has surpassed the number of deaths in China’s SARS epidemic in 2002-2003.

We in Pakistan are at risk as we share a geographical border with China and host numerous Chinese citizens in light of strong diplomatic relations. But this is not the real problem. The real threat to our society is our own people. We perceive and handle things in ways unusual to the rest of the world. Despite knowing the contagious nature of the virus, many Pakistanis suffering from its symptoms broke quarantine measures and flew from China to Pakistan, thus endangering the lives of fellow countrymen.

Due to such negligent behaviour Pakistan has reported a number of suspected cases of coronavirus, one of which was admitted in Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. Moreover, last week, four Pakistanis and one Chinese national arrived in Islamabad via Air China, who were reported to have fever following airport screening, and were shifted to PIMS hospital for further diagnosis.

According to the Foreign Office, approximately 28,000 Pakistani students are present in China with approximately 5,000 in Wuhan, excluding those who have not registered with the embassy. Our government should take special measures to ensure their safety and that all quarantine measures are fulfilled before any of them returns to Pakistan.

Coronavirus infection causes respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and fever. The virus is transmitted from animals to humans and now between humans via respiratory droplets of infected individuals released during coughing and sneezing, touching an infected person’s hands or face, or by touching contaminated objects such as doorknobs.

Currently, there is no cure or vaccine available for the virus. Once again we are forced to take solace in “prevention is better than cure”. The most effective preventive measures include avoiding people with symptoms, coughing or sneezing into a tissue, wearing face masks in public such as the N95 mask, and washing hands frequently.

On December 31, 2019, the Chinese public health authorities released an epidemiological high alert and closed the seafood market in Wuhan the next day. This was followed by Wuhan being placed under quarantine. Furthering attempts to curb the viral proliferation, an expert team of physicians, epidemiologists, virologists, and government officials was formulated and a 1,000-bed hospital was constructed within 10 days. The construction of a second hospital is under way.

The coronavirus infection causes pneumonia and can be diagnosed through clinical characteristics, chest radiographics, and ruling out common bacterial and viral pathogens that cause pneumonia. Respiratory specimens such as throat swabs are tested for common viruses. Suspected patients are quarantined using airborne precautions and N95 masks are used to prevent its spread.

So far, no case of coronavirus has been detected in Pakistan despite our lack of diagnostic capabilities. Healthcare professionals must pay close attention to symptoms such as sore throat, cough, breathing difficulty, a runny nose and fever. Pakistan already struggles with its share of infectious diseases. Our strained healthcare system cannot afford to combat yet another deadly viral contagion.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2020.

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