Airlines told to set up PCR testing counters

– Lockdown in Sindh to be raised on Aug 9 – Numerous guests denied boarding passes to travel to UAE
– PMC delegation check outs Balochistan

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: As hundreds of travelers were rejected boarding passes to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for failing to present rapid polymerase domino effect (PCR) examination results, the national health services ministry requested airlines to set up their screening counters at flight terminals.

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been advised to use up the matter with the UAE government so that individuals could travel without facing any problem.

On the other hand, throughout a joint session of the National Command and also Operation Centre (NCOC) in Karachi, it was chosen that the lockdown imposed by the Sindh federal government would certainly be lifted from Aug 9 and also rigorous non-pharmaceutical treatments (NPIs) released by the online forum for 13 cities with high virus occurrence, including Karachi as well as Hyderabad, would certainly be enforced.

It is worth mentioning that the UAE’s National Emergency situation as well as Dilemma Monitoring Authority had actually lifted a ban on transit guest web traffic from various countries, including Pakistan.

Guests were allowed to transit with airport terminals of the UAE if they had a negative rapid PCR examination taken within 72 hrs. However, airline companies rejected to release boarding passes to a multitude of travelers from flight terminals in Pakistan throughout the last two days for stopping working to provide results.

In a news release issued on Aug 6, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan specified that the UAE authorities had actually taken the choice without development details. It called on the international events ministry to occupy the problem with the UAE authorities with diplomatic channels so that a service could be gotten to as well as the visitors saved the hassle.

An official of the Ministry of National Health Solutions, requesting not to be named, stated it was an unique and also unreasonable demand.

” Ministry of Foreign Affairs has actually been asked for to use up the concern with UAE. In the meanwhile, CAA has asked Emirates Airlines to develop its own testing counters,” he stated.

Replying to a concern, he said center of quick PCR test was offered however in minimal public-sector setups.

Talking to Dawn, microbiologist Dr Javaid Usman said though the fast PCR examination was held in around four hours, it called for much more logistics.

” In easy words rapid PCR test is done to enhance the example and also get rid of the chances of incorrect favorable or false adverse outcomes. The problem to hold the examinations at the airport terminal has been recommended to minimize opportunities of travel of infected guests as examinations also verify virus in passengers having no signs. The equipments which are used for the test are the size of a microwave oven and also have 35 cycle threshold (Ct),” he stated.

” According to my understanding UAE wants the tests to be done just before boarding but it requires a lot of logistics. After the sample is gathered, practically 2 hours are required to refine it, as a sample mix is made by damaging the virus and also extracting the ribonucleic acid (RNA) to run in the maker. It implies that equipments, equal to the number of passengers, will certainly be required,” he added.

Responding to a concern, Dr Usman said keeping passengers in a capsule or closed area for 4 hrs would enhance the opportunity of the infection spreading.

” I suggest that just vaccinated people must be allowed to travel while the unvaccinated quit,” he added.

NCOC conference in Karachi
The NCOC conference was educated that health center inflow and also pressure on crucial care occupancy had raised which was why the Sindh federal government had placed rigid actions from July 31 to August 21 to manage the scenario, especially in Karachi.

The meeting was hosted by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM Residence on Saturday, which was additionally participated in by Priest for Preparation, Growth as well as Special Efforts Asad Umar, Lt Gen Hamooduz Zaman, Unique Aide to Head Of State on CPEC Khalid Mansoor and Maj Gen Asif Mahmood.

The chief minister was helped by rural ministers, Dr Azra Pechuho, Saeed Ghani, Syed Nasir Shah, Syed Sardar Shah, Consultant on Legislation Murtaza Wahab, Parliamentary Secretary on Wellness Qasim Soomro, Principal Assistant Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sajid Jamal Abro, Health And Wellness Assistant Dr Kazim Jatoi, Dr Faisal, Dr Sara Khan, Prof Saeed Qureshi and various other authorities.

It was mentioned that 67 percent of the overall favorable instances had actually been found in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi as well as Hyderabad.

The meeting was told that on Aug 6, as many as 1,195 patients were in important care in Karachi, but within two days, their number increased to 1,210.

The chief minister said he had added 165 beds in the crucial treatment system of Karachi, taking their number to 404.

The participants were notified that the medical facilities in the nation had come under pressure as 562 patients were confessed to healthcare facilities in the current week.

In Sindh alone, 176 people were admitted to medical facilities whereas in Punjab, the number was 159. The number of individuals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 175; Islamabad, 36; Azad Kashmir, 13 and Balochistan, 4.

The individuals were notified that on an average over 500 patients were being confessed to healthcare facilities daily, with 70 to 80 in crucial care.

Sharing the variety of positive cases, the NCOC disclosed that Karachi represented 79pc of the instances in the district. Throughout the existing week, Karachi saw 10,591 people getting contaminated which comprised 21.4 pc while the portion in Hyderabad was 15pc.

It was notified that in Sindh, cases enhanced between July 26 as well as Aug 1, with the percent of situations in Karachi climbing from 21pc to 23.2 pc.

Similarly, situations in Hyderabad rose from 6.6 computer to 11.7 pc, Badin from 4.7 pc to 10.8 pc, Thatta, 3.7 computer to 7.5 pc, Tharparkar, 2.7 pc to 8.1 computer; Sanghar, 5.1 pc to 7.6 pc; Matiari, 2.7 pc to 6.3 computer; Jamshoro, 3.4 pc to 6.9 computer; Mirpurkhas, 2.4 pc to 5.7 computer and in Shaheed Benazirabad, the portion increased from 3.5 pc to 5pc.

Sharing the proportion of positive situations as well as their fad, the meeting was informed that Karachi had 24.2 computer instances which fell slightly to 21.4 pc throughout the current week.

Muzaffarabad had shown a rise from 17.5 computer to 19.2 computer, Rawalpindi from 10.3 computer to 17.7 computer, Peshawar, 13pc to 16.3 pc, Hyderabad, 10.4 computer to 15pc while Mirpur saw a decline in cases from 10.9 pc to 10.7 pc. Number of positive instances in Islamabad had increased from 9pc to 10.3 computer.

At present, 102 individuals were on ventilators in Karachi, one in Hyderabad, 22 in Rawalpindi, 36 in Peshawar, 43 in Islamabad, 20 in Bahawalpur and also 10 in Gujranwala.

In Sindh, the positivity percent has actually dropped from 13.7 computer to 11.9 pc, Balochistan’s ratio has actually come down from 4.9 computer to 4.4 computer, Gilgit-Baltistan also saw a decline from 10.4 computer to 8.7 pc whereas the positivity ratio in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minimized from 4.8 pc to 4.2 pc.

Azad Kashmir, on the other hand, experienced a rise from 23.6 computer to 26pc, Punjab’s percent rose from 4.6 computer to 5.4 pc while Islamabad reported an increase from 10.6 computer to 12.1 computer.

Death price.
The conference was told that mortality rate had started to rise again after a consistent downward trend for two weeks in the country.

During the last six days, 63 patients have died on an average. It was pointed out that the rising death toll was likely to continue till the load on critical care subsided.

The mortality trend shows that from July 5 to Aug 1, some 285 patients succumbed to the virus in Punjab, 489 in Sindh, 125 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 24 in Islamabad, 39 in Azad Kashmir and 14 in Balochistan.

The participants were informed through presentations that the country was likely to witness a rise in disease during the coming weeks of August if the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were not followed.

The officials also agreed to issue SOPs for Muharram starting from Aug 9.

Meanwhile, the NCOC data reported that 95 patients lost their battle against coronavirus while 4,720 more got infected in the last 24 hours.

PMC delegation visits Balochistan.
In another development, Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) President Dr Arshad Taqi and Surgeon General Lt Gen Dr Nigar Johar Khan travelled to Balochistan to provide support to projects aimed to develop the healthcare education and healthcare delivery in the province.

The PMC president visited Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences (QIMS) and CMH Quetta, the affiliated teaching hospital of the institute. He appreciated the range of services and learning opportunities offered by the institute for undergraduate students and postgraduate trainees.

According to a statement, the PMC president and surgeon general also visited Sheikh Zayed Institute of Cardiology that was nearing completion and expected to start functioning soon.

Both officials travelled to Turbat on the second day of their visit where they inspected the District Headquarters Hospital. They were accompanied by Secretary Specialised Healthcare Balochistan Noorul Haq Baloch.

The 350-bed facility is affiliated with the proposed Makran Medical College. They appreciated the faculty and staff’s service to healthcare delivery and training in this remote part of the country.

The trip also included a visit to the Makran Medical College campus.