Three new COVID-19 positive cases were detected on Saturday, including a man who was already at the quarantine centre of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University.
According to a member of the task force, the two patients included a woman of Galib Nagar, whose husband had already tested positive for the virus earlier and was shifted to Dow University Hospital, Karachi, and another influential government officer of Sami Abad. The third one was a pilgrim who underwent a 14-day quarantine period at the SMBBMU’s Areeja Centre and his test was conducted in which he again tested positive. He was shifted to the isolation ward of the Chandka Medical College Hospital. These sources said that eight positive cases are still in the SMBBMU quarantine centre who were detected positive earlier.
With the addition of these cases, the number of positive cases has jumped to 16, excluding the one who was sent to Karachi for treatment and quarantined, the sources claimed. These sources further claimed that out of 16 positive cases, eight people have so far been cured. Sources said that two new cases detected on Saturday were through local transmission.
Meanwhile, Dr Ershad Hussain Kazmi, Medical Superintendent (MS), Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said that with the arrival of one more patient the number of total coronavirus positive patients at the Isolation Ward has reached three, as two positive cases were already isolated at the ward where Dr. Altaf Hussain Jokhio, CMCH Deputy Medical Superintendent, has been posted as a focal person.
On the other hand, three suspected cases emerged in Golimar Street of Allahabad here on Saturday and they all went in self-quarantine. Samples of all three suspected cases will be collected on Sunday. They had returned from Hyderabad a few days ago and were having the symptoms of fever, cough, asthma and flu.
Meanwhile, Principal, Chandka Medical College and Incharge COVID-19 Control Room, SMBBMU, Prof Dr K Das, through a notification, has posted six senior doctors and administrative officials to supervise the working of COVID-19 Control Room (as focal persons) which has been established at Vice Chancellor’s Secretariat, in shifts. They include Prof Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Professor of Pharmacology and Dr Abdul Rauf Khaskheli, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy in morning shift; Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Shaikh, Professor of Surgery and Asghar Ali Bhutto, Deputy Director, Human Resources in evening shift; and Dr Muhammad Ali Napar, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Ashfaque Bhutto, Demonstrator/Lecturer in the night shift.
The focal persons will ensure proper execution and timely coordination with District Health Officer (DHO), CMCH MS and deputy commissioner. He will also ensure and monitor sample collection of suspected patients, provision of PPEs to doctors and staff with coordination of DHO and others and daily reporting for onward submission to relevant authorities.
