Chinese man suspected of having coronavirus being kept in isolation at Multan hospital

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza said Saturday a Chinese man suspected of carrying the deadly coronavirus has been kept in isolation at the Nishtar Hospital Multan.

“He is being managed in line with standard protocol as a suspect,” he said in a Twitter statement.

“Pakistan does not have any nCronavirus patient until now, and we are alert!,” he added.

175/ Chinese kept in isolation in Nishtar Hospital, Multan is improving. No signs of sever acute respiratory infection. He is being managed in line with standard protocol as a suspect. Alhamdolilah, Pakistan does not have any nCronavirus patient until now, and we are alert!

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) January 25, 2020

Earlier this morning, Dr Zafar Mirza had refuted the news of a first case of China’s coronavirus diagnosed in Pakistan.

“A part of media is INCORRECTLY reporting about diagnosis of a first case of novel coronavirus in Pakistan,” he tweeted.

It is noteworthy that the death toll from the deadly disease jumped on Saturday to 41 in China.

Australia on Saturday confirmed its first four cases, Malaysia confirmed three and France reported Europe’s first cases on Friday, as health authorities around the world scrambled to prevent a pandemic.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Saturday declared a virus emergency in the Asian financial hub, with five confirmed cases, immediately halting official visits to mainland China and scrapping official Lunar New Year celebrations.