Pakistan's sixth coronavirus case confirmed, says Dr Zafar Mirza

KARACHI: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said on Thursday that the sixth case of the coronavirus in Pakistan had been confirmed. 

Taking to Twitter, Dr Mirza said that the patient "is in clinically stable condition in Sindh and is being well taken care of." 

Read more: Two more cases of coronavirus emerge in Pakistan

Earlier, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was told during a meeting at the CM House on Thursday that another person had contracted the novel coronavirus from Karachi. 

The Sindh health department confirmed the third coronavirus case to emerge from the province. The 69-year-old patient has a history of traveling to Iran and had returned on 25th February, 2020. He was being monitored by the health department and was tested today when the symptoms showed up.

The chief minister reportedly directed the provincial government to have all those who came into contact with the person tested for the virus. 

The Sindh government has been grappling with the coronavirus problem as two cases of the novel virus were confirmed in Pakistan last week, one in Karachi. 

Read more: Coronavirus: Sindh govt releases Rs100m in emergency funds

“We have received reports of two more positive cases of coronavirus, one has been reported in Sindh province, (the) other in federal areas,” Dr Mirza had said during a press conference. 

The virus has entered 76 countries and claimed more than 3,100 deaths and infecting over 80,000 people around the world ever since it began spreading from the wet markets of Wuhan in China. 

As a precautionary measure, the Sindh government had directed all schools, colleges, universities, tuition centres and other educational institutions to remain closed till March 13. 

The provincial government suspended several schools' registrations for remaining open despite the Sindh government's orders. 

Dr Mirza had said that two among the five patients affected with the virus were stable and improving with each passing day. He had said that one of the patients would soon be discharged from the hospital. 

The federal government is also undertaking measures to contain the virus, which has caused more than 100 deaths in neighbouring Iran. Screening of patients is being conducted at all entry points and airports. Isolation wards in hospitals have been set up to ensure proper medical care is being provided to coronavirus patients.