Tag: coronaviruspakistan

  • Shehzad Roy wants citizens to practise social distancing

    Shehzad Roy wants citizens to practise social distancing

    Singer turned activist Shehzad Roy has appealed to his followers to practise social distancing to save themselves from contracting the coronavirus.

    In a video message posted to social media, Roy said, “I got the opportunity today to go to CM House, Sindh and meet the task force dealing with the coronavirus. I was very happy to see how serious the government is and it really is a serious situation.

    “I want to request everyone not to shake hands with each other even if someone wants to. Don’t do it, even if they feel insulted. Don’t get together for weddings or religious reasons,” he asserted. “On my way, I could see that everyone was at Sea View beach like it’s New Year’s or a holiday, people were celebrating.”

    He added, “We need to behave like ashraful makhlookat. This is a very dangerous situation. We don’t want to panic but we also need to save each other; we don’t want things to get so bad that we need to go on lockdown.”

    “Lets practice social distancing and try to infect the least number of people.”

    Meanwhile, other celebrities are also advising people to practise self-isolation.

  • Sehatmand Pakistan: Govt’s new chat system to inform people about coronavirus

    Sehatmand Pakistan: Govt’s new chat system to inform people about coronavirus

    The government has launched a new chat system to provide basic information on the new coronavirus — COVID-19 –, Tania Aidrus tweeted.

    The chat system named ‘Pakistan Government Official Corona Chatbot’ can be accessed through the Facebook page of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination.

    A chatbot is an auto-generated message that a user receives from a digital media platform.

    This new digital media service can answer all basic questions regarding coronavirus. Moreover, it can guide you about the preventive measures that should be taken to reduce the risks of contracting the virus, and suggest you see your nearest facility for screening if you are experiencing any of the virus symptoms.

    For more information, Facebook users can visit the page of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Islamabad.

    https://www.facebook.com/NHSRCOfficial/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

  • Need authentic coronavirus updates? Follow these Twitter accounts

    With the coronavirus spreading fast, misinformation on the matter is also spreading with the same speed causing panic among citizens.

    For the most authentic information on the matter, follow the following Twitter accounts.

    Dr Zafar Mirza, State Minister of Health of Pakistan

    Murtaza Wahab

    Taimur Khan Jhagra, Health Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

    Musarrat Cheema, Spokesperson of the Government of Punjab

    https://twitter.com/MusarratCheema/status/1239242495956934656?s=20

    Liaquat Shahwani, Spokesperson of the Government of Balochistan

    UNICEF also requested people to beware of misinformation and take all coronavirus related information from official platforms.

    Meanwhile, The Current is also posting all updates regarding the coronavirus on its live blog. You can visit the blog here:

    Coronavirus

  • Apple bans coronavirus-themed apps

    Apple bans coronavirus-themed apps

    Apply said that they will not allow entertainment or game apps with COVID-19 as their theme on its App Store, Tribune reported.

    In a statement on their blog, Apple said: “The App Store should always be a safe and trusted place for users to download apps. Now more than ever that commitment takes on special significance as the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic. Communities around the world are depending on apps to be credible news sources — helping users understand the latest health innovations, find out where they can get help if needed or provide assistance to their neighbours.”

    “We’re evaluating apps critically to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions. Only developers from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19.”

    ”Nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions, and government entities that plan to distribute only free apps on the App Store can request to have their annual membership fee waived if based in an eligible country.”

  • Pakistan’s handling of coronavirus among world’s best: WHO country head

    Pakistan’s handling of coronavirus among world’s best: WHO country head

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Head Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala, praised Pakistan’s efforts in tackling coronavirus, noting that the country had come  up “with one of the world’s best National Response Program against the virus”.

    While talking to media in Karachi during his visit to hospitals and labs, he said, “At a time when other countries were reporting cases, Pakistan was keeping the virus at bay, which is something quite praiseworthy.”

    READ MORE: CORONAVIRUS DAILY UPDATES

    “Pakistan has timely come up with one of the world’s best National Response Program against COVID-19 and it is being implemented very effectively. Authorities are doing their job and now it is the responsibility of the people to follow the instructions and take preventive and precautionary measures to avoid contracting the viral disease”, Dr Mahipala said while speaking to The News.

    He inspected the isolation ward of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) In Karachi and was satisfied with the steps taken by the institute. He also visited Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Oja Campus and said that their lab and isolation facility was, “a world-class diagnostic and treatment facility”.

    RELATED: Pakistani couple distributes free coronavirus prevention kits in UK

    “At the moment, Pakistan has seven diagnostic labs which are capable of conducting 15,000 tests, but there is a need for more diagnostic facilities in case the number of suspected patients go up,” he said, adding that authorities had even established a mobile diagnostic facility that had been sent to Taftan to test and diagnose suspected cases coming from Iran. Even countries with superior health systems like South Korea and Italy had failed to contain the virus but Pakistani authorities timely responded to the pandemic and took preventive measures earlier on, he said.

    READ MORE: Coronavirus: Indian media reports fake claim, says top Pak army officers infected

    He urged people to wash their hands with soap and use a ‘coughing etiquette’ while coughing. He also said that 67% of the patients who were tested positive with COVID-19 had cough with temperature and difficulty in breathing.

  • Schools in Sindh and Balochistan closed due to Coronavirus scare

    Schools in Sindh and Balochistan closed due to Coronavirus scare

    All public and private educational institutes are closed in Balochistan until March 15 to protect children from the spread of Coronavirus. After two cases were confirmed in Pakistan on Wednesday, one in Karachi and one in Islamabad, governments are taking precautionary measures.

    The notification states that all public and private educational institutes, as well as madrassas, will be closed for more than two weeks.

    “The ongoing examinations of Grade 9 and Matriculation are also suspended,” the education minister said in a video message, “We want to keep our children safe’. He also said that it was a safety measure and no one needed to panic.

    A copy of the notification

    RELATED: Two coronavirus cases confirmed in Pakistan

    Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani also announced that the schools in the province would remain closed on Thursday and Friday, after the confirmation of a case in Karachi on Wednesday night.

    Saeed Ghani’s tweet

    The State Minister for Health Dr. Zafar Mirza tweeted last night, confirming the two cases.

    He said that everything was under control and also tweeted a helpline number.

    He asked people to refrain from sharing personal information of the patients saying that the patient in Karachi, as well as his family, was immediately placed in quarantine at a private hospital on the National Stadium Road while the one in Islamabad was moved to the capital’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).