Coronavirus outbreak: Sindh CM orders purchase of testing kits, ventilators

A second patient was diagnosed with coronavirus in the metropolis on Saturday

KARACHI: As another coronavirus case emerged in the metropolis, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah asked the Indus Hospital to purchase testing kits and 25 ventilators to curb the spread and impact of the virus.

At a meeting of the coronavirus taskforce on Saturday, Shah gave Indus Hospital's Dr Abdul Bari the task of purchasing these items, assuring him that the Sindh government would provide the hospital with Rs50 million for the purpose.

It was also disclosed that M*, the city's second coronavirus patient, had been shifted to an isolation ward at a hospital, while his family had been quarantined at their residence. The patient, who is 65 years old, had returned from Iran on February 20 and was kept in isolation for 10 days due to his symptoms. During this time, he tested positive for the virus.

Shah directed the health department to locate other relatives who may have interacted with M since his return from Iran. "We will have to be more alert and effective in tracing those who have come into contact with patients or suspected patients, so that we can contain the spread of the virus," he maintained.

The CM was also told that the health department had tested 41 people for coronavirus, of which they had received the results for 38 people. Only two people had tested positive so far.

He further told the health department, the Federal Investigation Agency, the Civil Aviation Authority and divisional commissioners to track every person coming to Sindh from Iran, whether it was by air or through Balochistan, so that necessary precautions could be taken. Moreover, he ordered the Karachi commissioner to seek a list of Pakistanis with visas for Iran from the Iranian consulate.

The chief secretary was instructed to coordinate with the Balochistan government and request it to test travellers at the Taftan border before sending them to their respective provinces.

The last flight from Iran landed in Karachi on Thursday. No flights have arrived since then.

Health dept issues advisory

The Sindh health department issued a notification on Saturday, advising quarantined families to keep their children at home for 14 days, instead of sending them to school.

The advisory states that the children should not go to school for 14 days after the return from Iran, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus through interaction with others at school. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2020.