Pakistan reported fewer coronavirus cases in past 24 hours: Dr Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said on Monday that Pakistan has reported fewer cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours as compared to the ratio in the last few days.

Dr Mirza was addressing media, along with SAPM on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf and National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal.

During the press briefing, Dr Mirza said that so far the coronavirus pandemic has claimed 21 lives, with five deaths reported within the last 24 hours.

“In the coming days, there will be an increase in the number of recovered people,” he said, adding that only 99 cases were confirmed across the country since Sunday.

Dr Mirza said that currently, 7,507 people have been quarantined in different places across the country.

“In hospitals, out of 783 cases, 773 are improving and expected to get well soon,” said the SAPM. “Only 10 patients are in a critical condition,” he continued.

‘Govt’s priority to adequately equip medical teams’

Addressing the press conference, the NDMA chairman said that the government’s priority is to provide medical teams with adequate supplies so that they can freely dispense their services to the ailing.

“The laboratories in Sargodha are under-evaluation, then they will begin testing,” he apprised.

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The NDMA chairman further said that the officials are aiming to increase testing capacity in Pakistan, adding that the flight from Beijing also brought 100 walk-through, thermal scanning machines.

He said that until April 6, around 100,000 protective kits will be in the country, along with 1,100 to 1,500 ventilators.

“The Sindh government has been given 20,000 testing kits, while Punjab received 5,000,” he said.

Domestic flights to remain suspended: Dr Moeed Yusuf

SAPM on National Security Dr Yusuf said that the domestic flights have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, and will remain so.

“All the passengers have returned from Thailand and they are all clear,” said the SAPM referring to an earlier national ferry flight assigned to bring back stranded Pakistanis from the Bangkok airport.

Dismissing rumours about the airports resuming operations from April 5, he said that the matter of resumption of air operations is under consideration, however, nothing is conclusive as of now.

He further said that no Pakistani passengers are stranded at any airport around the world. 

The press briefing of the officials came as Pakistan recorded more than 1,600 cases of the novel coronavirus. 

Earlier today, Sindh Minister for Law and Environment Murtaza Wahab  that 23 pilgrims quarantined at the coronavirus isolation facility in Sukkur had tested negative for the virus twice.

Also in Punjab, the worst-hit province with more than 600 cases, Punjab Minister for Health Yasmin Rashid informed that 2,000 doctors and related staff were being hired to perform duties at the emergency hospital set up at the Expo Centre in Lahore to cater to coronavirus patients.