‘COVID-19 cases in Pak may top 50,000 by April end’

Islamabad: The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan might be over 50,000 by the end of April — 2,392 critical patients needing intensive care, 7,024 serious patients and 41,482 others who would have mild symptoms and just require isolation at their homes, the Supreme Court was informed.

In a report submitted to the apex court on Saturday, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC), however, explained that these figures were mere projections based on assumptions made from trends of the outbreak in other countries, reports Dawn news.

The report said that the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus after 35 days of its outbreak in Pakistan remained low as compared to reported cases in European countries and Iran.

The NHSRC in its report explained that 13,000 health facilities across the country have been entrusted with collecting surveillance data besides developing public awareness messages for dissemination to all modes of media.

Moreover, the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, activated at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has been assigned to conduct surveillance, prepare daily situation report, risk assessment, date analysis and to follow up suspected patients.

The NHSRC said that more than 1.4 million travellers were restricted for strict screening at major points of entry in the country — 1.1 million passengers at seven airports and more than 300,000 passengers at three land crossings, adding that 222 suspected patients were identified and quarantined, Dawn news reported.

The Ministry’s report comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan has increased to 2,800, with 44 deaths.

IANS