Pakistan to be able to diagnose coronavirus from tomorrow: Zafar Mirza
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza on Saturday said at least seven to eight countries had requested China to repatriate their citizens.
“We will be able to diagnose coronavirus from tomorrow (Sunday) after arrival of test kits. We have devised a strategy to be implemented after resumption of flights with China,” Dr Zafar Mirza said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
He announced to launch an awareness campaign on electronic media channels. Through public service messages we will relay to people about the basic points of the disease, he said. “We will also update masses through this campaign about any new research in this regard,” he said.
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The PM’s special assistant said no Chinese would be allowed to leave his country until he was screened and stayed in incubation for 14 days there. Neither any Pakistani living in China would be allowed to leave the country until he passed the same number of days in the incubation, he maintained.
“We have to a greater extent protected Pakistan from this virus,” he said adding that Pakistan would not bring its citizens from Wuhan just because some other country did it. He said the virus had been detected in 24 countries as of now.
Zafar Mirza said one centre to diagnose the infection would be established at National Institute of Health, one at Shaukat Khanum Hospital Lahore and one at Agha Khan Hospital Karachi.
Dr Zafar Mirza said different measures had been taken to keep Pakistan safe from the coronavirus. He once again stated that no case of coronavirus had been confirmed in the country.
