COVID-19 case emergence rate still low in Pakistan: Dr Faisal

ISLAMABAD, May 7 (APP):Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Coronavirus Dr Faisal Sultan Thursday said that due to effective disease control strategy and government’s prompt steps, COVID-19 cases’ emergence rate was still low in the country, against the global figures.

Dr Faisal Sultan, in a briefing on COVID-19, said still there were threats of spread of the disease and asked the citizens to continue following protective measures as per health officials’ directions to stem the increase in Coronavirus cases.

He said that despite reporting of new cases in different parts of the country there was a capacity to manage the situation and best possible services were being provided at hospitals for corona patients.

He said that the number of testing capacity was also being increased day by day due to which new cases were being detected in different areas. He however said that there was sufficient availability of ventilators, medical equipment and health staff at hospitals.

He said that the government was gradually improving its health system with best possible preparedness plan and training of health professionals. He added decisions were made on daily basis keeping in view the prevailing situation with the inputs from international and local health experts.

He said that all possible measures were being adopted to control COVID-19 to avoid further load on already overburdened health system of the country.

He said that strategies were made to control corona keeping in view the global information, focusing on data with integration of local data in a scientific way. He added input from concerned stakeholders was also considered to avoid any missing aspect.

Dr Faisal said the government had effective disease combat plan with future projection on the disease, adding, the plans were changed in accordance with the changing situations to get better results.

He advised the citizens to strictly follow the social distancing and other precautionary measures to stop increasing local transmission of COVID-19 in the country.

He said the government was taking effective and prompt measures, and assured that joint efforts would be made against Coronavirus.

The government had provided disease diagnostic facilities in various cities, he added.

Dr Faisal Sultan said the government had tried its level best to control the disease and prepared standard operating procedures (SOPs), which were being shared for their implementation at different levels.