About 181 staff members of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) have tested positive for the novel coronavirus over the past two weeks, the hospital's Joint Executive Director Dr Minhaj said.

All of the infected hospital officials, which include doctors, nurses, paramedics and other medical professionals, are currently in quarantine, he said.

Dr Minhaj said that more staff would be needed before opening more wards to treat Covid-19 patients, adding that the hospital was facing a shortage of task force due to so many of its professionals testing positive.