Sindh to isolate virus suspects on Karachi outskirts

Patients will be shifted to the Gadap medical facility from Monday

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Friday decided to quarantine suspected and confirmed patients of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at a health facility on the outskirts of Karachi as part of its efforts to contain the infestation.

The patients will be shifted to the 50-bed hospital in Gadap Town from Monday where an intensive care unit (ICU) has also been set up.

Health Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi and Health Services Director General Mubin Ahmed Memon visited the hospital on Friday to inspect the arrangements there.

The health facility is situated in a relatively remote area. It was recently established as a women’s hospital. The decision to reserve it for suspected or confirmed patients of COVID-19 was made after two persons were diagnosed with the mysterious disease.



According to Special Assistant to the PM on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, the two patients were stable and their condition was improving. He added that all “contacts” traced till now had been tested and the results were negative for the virus.

The Dow University Hospital said they received 20 suspected COVID1-19 cases on Thursday. Of them, four were family members of the Karachi patient. “Fourteen of them were asymptomatic – and were subsequently discharged with instructions for home quarantine,” the hospital administration said in an update.

“Of the remaining six, four are the family members of the patient and are symptomatic. All 14 labs tests conducted today were negative. It includes the father, mother and sister of the patient,” it said, adding that “currently, no positive case has been identified”, so there was no need to panic.

The Sindh Health Department issued a report on the preparedness and response to coronavirus after two cases emerged in Pakistan.

A meeting chaired by the provincial health minister discussed measures to address the issue and a second meeting was convened with the health secretary to chalk out strategies and implement the decisions.



 

Several steps were taken to ensure proper precautionary measures, such as directing health department officials at airports and port and shipping authorities to screen travellers and provide a prompt report of any suspected case.

Ambulances have been parked at Jinnah Airport and Keamari Port for transporting suspected cases to the isolation wards set up in six tertiary care hospitals and other hospitals for coronavirus patients.

Jinnah Airport and several hospitals have also been provided with personal protective equipment for the safety of healthcare workers.

The Livestock and Fisheries Department was alerted and ordered to take precautionary measures, as the coronavirus is believed to be transmitted by animals. Schools and colleges were also requested to create awareness amongst the students and teachers.

Dr Zafar Mehdi and Dr MB Raja Dharejo have been appointed as focal persons for coordination and monitoring of the virus.