KARACHI:Different healthcare bodies issue separate alerts about Corona virus on Wednesday.
Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination on Wednesday directed the Disease Surveillance Division and Central Health Establishment to monitor and enhance surveillance for response in case of detection in the wake of international alert about SARS- like Corona Virus.
According to a letter, stated that it has been reported by leading national and international newspapers and eminent journalist that SAR –Like Corona virus was found in the Central Chinese City of Wuhan.
It has been further reported by China National Health Commission that virus can be transmitted between people and more cases are expected to emerge.
In the wake of international alert; it was directed that Disease Surveillance Division and Central Health Establishment shall monitor, detect, and exercise the highest level of vigilance.
NIH issue Health Advisory about Corona virus:
However, National Institute of Health (NIH) has issued health advisory on pneumonia outbreak due to noevel corona virus, in Wuhan City Hubei province China.
A recent surge of pneumonia cases, associated with the novel corona virus, has been reported in China. The Chinese authorities have notified more than 200 confirmed human infections and cases have also been reported in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
This situation has urged the neighboring countries to enhance their surveillance and vigilance for response in case of detection. The NIH is accordingly monitoring the situation and will keep all stakeholders updated.
NIH says the objective of this advisory is to alert and sensitize the health staff at border posts as well as in healthcare institutions of Pakistan to stay vigilant about any suspected cases coming from affected areas for an early detection.
However, PMA has also shown concern over outbreak of viral disease in China
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is very much concerned over the outbreak of corona virus in China particularly in Wuhan (Hubei, province).
Due to the fatal virus death toll in China rose to six and the number of cases jumped to almost 300. Health authorities in China earlier said there was no obvious evidence of person-to-person transmission and animals were suspected to be the source of transmission of the virus but now fears of a bigger outbreak rose after a prominent expert from China’s National Health Commission confirmed that the virus can be transmitted between people.
WHO has warned about the eruption of the more cases both in China and other countries. People of China are now a days preparing to celebrate Lunar New Year which starts from coming Friday and they are very much distress about the rapid transmitting of the virus from one person to another. The people are also distressed of corona virus because of its genetic similarities to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 650 people across China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
The corona virus is a serious disease like SARS and causes upper respiratory tract infection. The important point to be noted that if the symptoms of the infection are not treated properly this can lead to lower respiratory tract infection, laryngitis, bronchitis, lungs infection and finally pneumonia, which could become fatal for the patients.
There is big number of Pakistani students and businessmen along with so many Chinese coming to Pakistan every day, so we are more at risk of getting corona virus through human contact.
PMA strongly suggests the government to install thermal scanners at our International Airports to scan the passengers arriving from high risk countries particularly from China, Bangkok and Thailand. If anybody is found with signs of fever should be quarantined for 24 hours for monitoring. God forbid if it hits Pakistan then it will be more difficult to control it because there is no treatment for the fatal virus. Prevention is the only way to keep us safe from the outbreak of this virus in Pakistan.
So, all the required preventive measures should be adopted urgently. Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore and the United States have set up enhanced screening measures at their airports for the prevention of corona virus.
In this scenario PMA reiterates its demand to establish virology labs at least at all provincial capitals so that viral diseases like Swine Flu, Dengue, Bird Flu, Chikungunya, Zika virus Congo virus, corona virus and other viruses can be diagnosed promptly.