Six more doctors working at Nishtar hospital have been diagnosed with COVID-19 coronavirus, raising the number of infected health workers at the facility to 23.
According to the officials of Nishtar hospital, six more doctors have tested positive for the novel virus and the total number of doctors and nurses affected by the virus has reached 23.
Earlier, on Monday, Dr Pasha – Vice-Chancellor (VC) Nishtar Medical University, announced that 16 doctors had contracted the novel virus.
The staff had been treating a patient who had a lung disease. After the patient died, his test came back positive for the virus. We conducted tests of everyone in the ward after the patient passed away,” he added.
“The doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of levels one, two and three, besides the sweepers are being provided with personal protective equipment. Tests of all doctors, nurses and paramedical staff who were involved in the man’s treatment were conducted,” he stated.
He revealed that out of 2,800 people who were tested, 37 were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Last week 17 staff members including doctors and nurses, of Karachi’s Civil Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Trauma Centre had tested positive for COVID-19.
Healthcare workers in Pakistan have been facing an acute shortage of personal protective gear (PPEs) in their fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
Earlier, a 26-year-old doctor from Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, Dr. Usama Riaz, passed away last month after contracting the coronavirus while screening pilgrims returning from Iran.
