ISLAMABAD               -          Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has said that COVID-19 still exists in country and cases are being underreported because people are not going for testing.

The PMA, in a statement on Monday, said it was satisfied over the latest coronavirus situation in the country, although the severity of the disease had decreased and number of cases had declined, many beds and ventilators were vacant in hospitals, all these good indicators.

“It does not mean that we should get complacent; in fact it has been observed in so many countries that virus had hit back and that second phase was even harder than the previous one and so many people were infected and died,” the statement said. 

It said according to a very recent survey, the world had set a new record of 284,661 patients found positive in one day on July 23, 2020, which was very alarming.

“Therefore we should remain vigilant because corona still exists in 

Pakistan and new cases are emerging on daily basis. So, many unreported cases still exist, people do not go for Corona testing and doctors are also diagnosing on clinical grounds,” said PMA.

People have better awareness now and they go to quarantine or isolate themselves immediately at home because of that they’re less critical patients in Pakistan. The ICU and HDU beds at corona designated hospitals are mostly vacant.

Now we fear that due to our negligence coronavirus cases may increase in next two weeks after EID. 

It has been observed that local administration is least bothered or helpless about enforcing SOPs in the cattle markets. Cattle vendors and buyers are seen without mask, children and elderly people are visiting these markets without any fear and restriction and nobody is being checked for fever at entry points of these markets. This state of affairs is very alarming. 

PMA suggests that like Islamabad, SOPs should be implemented strictly in cattle markets throughout Pakistan to avoid spread of coronavirus.

The statement said that PMA warned that situation of Covid-19 could worsen during Eid-ul-Azha, Independence Day, Muharram and Rabi-ul-Awal if the government did not implement SOPs thoroughly and people did not follow the SOPs.

Pakistan Medical Association also suggested that educational institutes should be opened after monitoring the severity of Covid-19. Corona test (antibodies test) of all the staff including van drivers and attendants should be done before opening of educational institutes because one infected person can spread the disease to the whole institution. 

If these institutes are allowed to open then administration will have to follow SOPs.

Social distancing, wearing mask and regularly washing/sanitizing hands must be strictly implemented in all institutes. 

This is the right time for teachers to teach the primary and secondary level students to maintain hygiene at personal and community level.