Firdous Ashiq Awan calls for calm amidst reports of coronavirus cases

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday said there was no need to panic about the novel coronavirus as 98% of those who fell victim to the disease eventually recover.

Awan, in a series of tweets, said Prime Minister Imran Khan had said the coronavirus epidemic should be taken head-on.

“Provinces have been directed to send their reports regarding the steps taken to curb and contain the spread of the virus. 

“We will defeat the coronavirus the same way we defeated other diseases,” she said, adding that screening facilities are functioning in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi to help identify incidences of the disease.

“More than 98 per cent of those who fall victim to coronavirus recover,” Awan said, noting that the coronavirus is not an incurable disease and that there was a cure for it.

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She added that it was important to take precautionary measures against the coronavirus.

More than 2,700 people have died in China since the outbreak began in December last year. More than 78,000 cases have been confirmed inside of mainland China.

Earlier this week, Pakistan reported its first two cases of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19. 

The first case was reported from Karachi, in a 22-year-old who had recently returned from Iran.

The 22-year-old's condition had reportedly started to deteriorate on February 18 and they underwent a hijama — or cupping therapy — at a local health centre in the Iranian city of Mashhad. After that, they reported suffering from a headache.

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They had arrived in Karachi on February 20.

The other coronavirus patient is a resident of Islamabad who had been admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where they are being treated and their condition is stable and improving.