Have acquired medical kits for specific diagnosis of coronavirus, says SAPM Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Zafar Mirza said on Monday that Pakistan has acquired medical kits that perform specific diagnosis for the coronavirus, adding that till now, there has been not a single confirmed case of the disease in the country.

The SAPM was addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Monday afternoon, where he said that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding prevention and treatment of the virus have been shared with the provinces 

Also read: Coronavirus: Pakistan resumes China flight operations after three days

He added that seven people were under observation for the virus across Pakistan. “The good news is that all of their tests came negative,” said Dr Mirza. The SAPM said that the government has reviewed the situation in the provinces and will work upon measures to be taken within 24 hours.

“As flights from China to Pakistan resumed from today, I was personally present with my teams at the airport to receive the passengers and not a single suspected case was found out,” he noted. 

Also read: Chinese stocks plunge as coronavirus death toll pass 360

The Chinese ambassador also addressed media, expressing gratitude towards the Pakistani government for standing beside China in the time of need.

Over 60 passengers from the Chinese city of Urumqi arrived in Pakistan on Monday as direct flight operations between the two countries resumed after a brief suspension.

A spokesman of the Aviation Division in a brief statement in Islamabad on Sunday said that Pakistan has decided to resume direct flight operations, which were suspended on January 31 as a preventive measure to control the spread of deadly coronavirus.