PESHAWAR: Two new suspected coronavirus cases have been reported from Police and Services Hospital, Peshawar, said a report issued on Tuesday by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate-General Health Services.

So far, 10 suspected patients have been screened for the coronavirus, and they have tested negative, the report said.

It said the health department had so far contacted 25 persons who had travelled from China in last 14 days as part of its campaign to screen the people for the novel coronavirus that has so far killed over 1,000 people worldwide, mostly in China where it originated.

The report said that all the protocols were followed regarding isolation, case reporting and sample transport to meet the global standards and ensure better outcome.

Health facilities have been alerted to trace people with history of visiting China to be screened for the virus, the report said.

According to it, the number of global confirmed cases had reached 40,554 with over 1,000 deaths recorded as the disease has now spread to 24 countries.

The report said that people returning from China had been reached for presence of any signs and symptoms of the virus, but they were found normal. However, they would be kept under vigilance, it said

The report said that a total of 24,932 people had been screened from February 6 onwards at the health checkpost set up at the Pak-Afghan border at Tokham, with no suspected case emerging.

Field epidemiologists are at standby for interventions and contact tracing of any reported suspected case, the report said. The ongoing screening of suspected cases continues at the Bacha Khan International Air Port, it said.

Allocation of beds and staff in public and private hospitals continues for isolation of any suspected case across the province, it said. The department in collaboration with the line department has made elaborate plans to ensure prevention of the virus, the report concluded.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2020