Four Pakistani doctors lose battle to coronavirus in past 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani doctors, including a female doctor in her 20s, passed away from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.

Dr Sana Fatima, who worked at a private hospital in Lahore, died after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the Punjab health department confirmed on Friday. According to the Lahore health department officials, Dr Sana Fatima was treating COVID-19 patients at Fatima Memorial Hospital.

She was admitted to Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre on May 20 after testing positive for the virus and developing symptoms of its related disease— coronavirus. She died early morning today after her condition deteriorated, the officials said.

Moreover, a psychologist in Gunjrawala, Naeem Akhtar, Dr Khanzada who hailed from Afghanistan but was working in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Incharge BMC trauma center Dr Zubair Zubair Ahmed, all succumbed to the infection.

In addition, as many as 341 health care workers have been infected with COVID-19 across Punjab, according to a report issued by the directorate general health services. The number is up from a day earlier when 241 medical professionals were tested positive for the COVID-19.

According to sources, 2,173 healthcare workers were suspected of being carriers of the COVID-19. All the suspected have been tested and 15.6% have the virus. On the other hand, 84% have tested negative.

The positivity rate amongst doctors, nurses and other medics in the province has shot up from the previous 12.7% to 15.6%, sources added.

Meanwhile, the Young Doctors Association said that several health professionals are in self-quarantine at their homes and as a result, pose a threat to their families.

The YDA in the light of these fears demanded that a separate ward be set up for doctors in hospitals to save their families from the infection.