ISLAMABAD, Mar 22 (DNA): Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on
Health Dr Zafar Mirza said on Sunday experts are determining the use of
chloroquine for treatment of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Chloroquine, a drug used against malaria, is available in abundance in
the country at present, the SAPM said while speaking at a press
conference. He added a ban has been imposed on export of the chloroquine
medicine and its raw material.

There is no evidence suggesting that taking chloroquine will guard
people against the coronavirus, he stated in clear terms.

Addressing a press conference here in Islamabad, Dr Zafar Mirza said a
programme aimed at imparting necessary training to doctors on handling
coronavirus patients will be initiated in a few days.

There are a total of 5,650 suspected cases of COVID-19 across the
country with 646 coronavirus positive, he said, adding as many as 112
patients tested positive for the disease in the last 24 hours with Sindh
reporting the highest number of 292 cases so far.

152 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Punjab, 104 in
Balochistan, 31 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 55 in Gilgit Baltistan, 11 in
Islamabad and one Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the SAPM said.

“The data was authentic as it was collected, compiled after consultation
and approval from the provinces,” he said and advised media to rely on
the official statistics only.

“The federal government, provinces and all the stakeholders are working
on war footing for safety and well-being of people. All resources are
mobilized and measures taken for prevention and mitigation,” Dr Zafar
Mirza said.

The special assistant said training for about 5,000 doctors would be
arranged as how to deal and treat the people affected by coronavrius.

He advised the citizens to wash hands regularly with soap, besides
cleaning surfaces regularly with recommended disinfectants. He also
asked the citizens to avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with
contaminated hands and practice respiratory hygiene by coughing or
sneezing into a bent elbow or tissue and then immediately dispose it
off.

He said the citizens should wear a medical or surgical mask if they had
respiratory symptoms and perform hand hygiene after disposing off the
mask. He asked to maintain a minimum of mandatory one meter distance
from individuals with respiratory symptoms. He said if the symptoms
appeared, doctors or 1166 should be approached immediately.

The special assistant said the government had compete data about the
availability of chloroquine medicine being used to treat coronavirus
patients. “We have information, how many tablets, syrups, injections and
raw material is available of chloroquine in the country. We are
continually monitoring the situation and one should not worry about it,”
he added.

He said the government was also in touch with doctors about the use of
chloroquine medicine. “We are taking guideline from the professionals,
when, how, and for how much time this medicine should be used,” he said.

However, he dispelled the impression that chloroquine could be used as a
preventive medicine. He said an advisory had been issued that
chloroquine should not be sold without doctor’s prescription. DNA