ISLAMABAD: At least 92 health professionals have tested positive for thenovel coronavirus across the country in the last two days, increasing thenumber of infected doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff to 345.
According to a National Health Ministry official, the number increased to345 from 253 on Thursday after new cases were detected among the medicalcommunity. The official said that doctors are the most affected class ofhealthcare professionals when it comes to the infections with over 165doctors across the country under treatment for the virus. 131 paramedicaland support staff, as well as 41 nurses, have also contracted the virus.
Apart from the confirmed cases, more than 1,500 doctors, nurses, paramedicsand those with whom they came into contact are in quarantine. Many arewaiting for their test results after coming into contact with the healthprofessionals who have already tested positive, the official said.
The official added that most of the cases of coronavirus among healthprofessionals have been reported from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)and Punjab, while a few cases have also been reported from Sindh and theIslamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
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Giving a breakdown of the health professionals afflicted with the novelcoronavirus, the health ministry official said that 93 have been infectedin Punjab of which 55 are doctors, 16 nurses and 22 paramedics and supportstaff.
The official added that the Nishtar Medical Hospital in Multan and thePunjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore were the worst affectedhealth facilities in Punjab, as most of the infected health professionalsin that province worked at those two facilities.
