First locally transmitted coronavirus case emerges in Karachi

Patient, arrived in the port city from Islamabad on Wednesday, has not travelled abroad recently

KARACHI: Pakistan's first locally transmitted case of coronavirus emerged in Karachi on Friday, from a patient who had travelled to the metropolis from Islamabad two days earlier. It is not yet known from whom the patient contracted the virus.

On Friday, Sindh health department officials disclosed that a new case of the novel coronavirus case had been detected, adding that the patient had no recent travel history outside the country.

The 52-year-old man arrived in Karachi by air on Wednesday, and tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. According to the man, he had interacted with a person who had recently arrived in Islamabad from abroad during his visit to the federal capital, stated health department spokesperson Meeran Yousuf.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Yousuf said that all the passengers who had travelled from Islamabad to Karachi on the same flight as the new patient were being tracked down by health officials. "We have received all the details of the passengers and are trying to trace them all."

It is pertinent to note that no cases of coronavirus have yet been confirmed in the federal capital by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. "The person with whom the patient had interacted probably does not know he has the virus," believed Yousuf, adding that her department had shared all details of the new patient with the NIH.

No check on domestic flights
Despite the pandemic spreading across the globe, no screening measures have yet been put in place for people travelling within the country. Although the Sindh government has established screening counters and deployed health workers at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi apart from the measures being taken by airport authorities, these precautions are only for international travellers.

Health department officials told The Express Tribune that they would now ask the federal government to expand screening to all passengers. "All those who are travelling, even by road or railway, should be screened," asserted a health department official, adding that several officials had noted that there was no checking procedure in other provinces.

"The chances of local transmission of coronavirus have increased now," he stated, insisting that the situation was critical. "The Sindh government will have to monitor domestic movement now too, which is more challenging," he added.

Another health department official concurred. "The first locally transmitted case confirms that the situation will be tougher in the coming days," he maintained. "I don't think other provinces are taking all required measures to control the spread of the virus."

Testing for the virus
So far, 11 testing facilities have been set up in the province. Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Indus Hospital and Dow University Hospital's Ojha campus have laboratories to carry out the coronavirus testing. Others, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital (DRPCHK) and Sindh Government Hospital Lyari (SGHL) in Karachi, Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Khairpur, Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in Larkana, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital (GMMMCH) in Sukkur and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) in Hyderabad, will send their samples to these three hospitals.

While AKUH charges Rs7,900 for the test, Indus Hospital and Dow will carry out the testing for free, confirmed health department officials.

Owing to the prevailing situation, the Sindh government has ordered 9,000 more testing kits, which are scheduled to arrive on Monday.



However, not everyone with symptoms of coronavirus, which include coughing, flu and fever, will be tested for the infectious disease, explained Yousuf. Instead, she told The Express Tribune, only those who had a recent international travel history or contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient qualified for testing.

These qualifiers exclude those who have been in contact with an undiagnosed patient or a carrier without symptoms.

Potential shortfall
Meanwhile, for a population of over 47 million, there are only 150 beds at nine isolation centres set up across Sindh.

There are 60 beds at LUMHS, 20 beds at DRPCHK, 18 at Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro, 15 at GIMS, nine at SGHL, eight each at Dow's Ojha campus and JPMC in Karachi, and six each at Peoples Medical College Hospital in Shaheed Benazirabad, GMMMCH and CMCH.

Apart from this, a dedicated 50-bed hospital on the outskirts of Karachi is expected to be fully functional by next week. In case of an emergency, the health department also has the option to shift patients to a 150-bed facility located outside the city.

Govt offers reward for cure
The Sindh government has also offered a reward for any researchers who develop a cure for COVID-19.

Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah stated on Friday that any research institute or researcher that developed a cure for the coronavirus would be rewarded and the Sindh government would bear the cost of the research.

"Science and technology are the key to control coronavirus or any other disease, and I hope that an antidote can be developed," maintained Shah.