LAHORE, Mar 15 (DNA): The government of Punjab has confirmed one case of

coronavirus in Lahore, the Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said

on Sunday, marking the first recorded cases of the virus in the

province.

According to the provincial Health Minister, a 54-year-old man, who

arrived in Lahore from UK on March 10, has contracted the viral disease.

Dr Yasmin Rashid has confirmed the first positive case of coronavirus

detected in the provincial capital. A private laboratory that conducted

the tests for the diagnosis declared the individual as infected.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the patient’s blood samples have been sent

for further testing while the individual has been kept in quarantined

isolation.

It is also been told that the patient had recently returned to Pakistan

from the United Kingdom (UK) and was cleared in the medical screening

conducted at the airport.

The patient had taken the onus and got his tests done from a private lab

afterwards due to deteriorating health.

She urged people to take precautionary measures and said “only way to

fight coronavirus is to take precautions.”

Spokesperson of Primary and Secondary Health Care informed that everyone

who was in contact with the patient has been tested negative but

authorities placed them into isolation at their homes as per SOPs.

A fourth individual who tested positive has no recent travel history and

it is being speculated that the virus was locally transmitted to the

patient.

A government helpline ‘116’ has also been set up to address questions

related to coronavirus. The masses have been urged to report on the

helpline, if they or anyone they know shows symptoms of the virus or if

they have recently travelled to any country impacted by the disease. DNA

=======