ISLAMABAD: The first doctor to get infected by coronavirus in Pakistan breathed his last on Sunday after fighting for his life for three days.
Dr Usama Riaz, who hails from Chilas of Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), was screening pilgrims arriving from Iran and other areas into GB, and was admitted to District Headquarter Hospital, Gilgit, on Friday night after falling unconscious.
Addressing a press conference in Gilgit on Saturday, the office bearers of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had said that the said doctor had tested positive for the novel virus. They had blamed the lack of facilities and the government’s negligence for Dr Usama’s condition, emphasising that he could have saved himself had he been provided with the required medical equipment like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits specific to coronavirus.
It was stated that a medical board had been constituted for deciding Dr Usama’s fate after consultation with his family as his condition was very critical. It may be mentioned here that the affected doctor could not be moved to another hospital due to his condition.
“Dr Usama should be declared a national hero for his bravery against fighting the coronavirus,” they had said.
Meanwhile, with the confirmation of 16 new cases of coronavirus patients in GB, the total number of patients in the region increased to 71 on Sunday. While those who tested positive were shifted to isolation wards, GB Law Minister Aurangzeb Khan said that more tests of pilgrims were still awaited as the regional government lacks enough testing facilities.
Meanwhile the regional government has also announced a home lockdown across GB effective from midnight to control the spread of virus as the area is experiencing the highest ratio of virus affectees.
Addressing a press conference in Chitral on Sunday, GB Law Minister Aurangzeb Khan said that the province would be locked down from midnight for an indefinite period.
He said that this will be called home lockdown and police and rangers will be patrolling day and night.
