Featured CoronaVirus in Pakistan - Updates & Discussion

[Rafi]

I think that you are right. It is pretty much impossible to impose social distancing rules in poor, densely populated countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. In all liklehood, Pakistan has probably reached herd immunity. This means about 55% of all pakistanis have probably already contracted corona and recovered from it. That's why there is constant decrease in cases and also deaths. Although, it is quite surprising how a 220 million people country reached herd immunity so quickly. I think this shows corona spreads much more quicker than people imagined.

The govt was also good at doing pin point local shutdowns, and then we also have a young strong population.

 

[- Singh Saab -]

The govt was also good at doing pin point local shutdowns, and then we also have a young strong population.

From what I have heard, the government wasn't very effective in imposition of local shutdowns. However, your second point is very true. If you compare the countries with highest and lowest mortality rates from coronavirus, the key difference you will see is that countries with low mortality rates have much younger populations and have mandatory BCG vaccination policy. It is also important to note that vast majority of deaths in countries with high mortality rates are those of elderly populations (70+ age groups). However, one outlier which stands out is Mexico...

 

[AMRAAM]

AL. Things are getting for Pakistan. Thanks to the hard work of NCOC and the vision of IK.

 

[Imran Khan]

13955 active cases remaining world #32 in active cases

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Another 488 cases reported in a day. Unfortunately 7 people lost their lives. 2786 people recovered. 22,448 tests conducted out of which ratio comes at 2.17%

5 people died in Sindh and 1 each in GB and KPK.

Testing Stats

 

[Valar.]

13955 active cases remaining world #32 in active cases

Yup.

95.17% of our cases are now officially closed.

 

[Baby Leone]

why govt is still spending so much in testings like on avg 25K tests on daily basis when only around 3% coming positive?

will govt do it until we get vaccines even the positive rates are zero?

 

[Tair-Lahoti]

why govt is still spending so much in testings like on avg 25K tests on daily basis when only around 3% coming positive?

will govt do it until we get vaccines even the positive rates are zero?

We should follow China, we should do what China is doing after Covid-19 cases declined there. Following a successful model is always wise.

 

[sparten]

From what I have heard, the government wasn't very effective in imposition of local shutdowns

They were very effective, what are you talking about.
You "heard" that someone managed to get out somewhere and somehow its "not every effective"?
Covid spreads through networks. Break those connections and you hamper its ability to infect.
After a few days every person who gets infected is no longer contagious.
If you have a hotspot and you seal it, you break their connections with the outside, disrupt its networks. Greatly reduce the disease's ability to spread, while at the same time the existing contagious people stop being contagious, within a few days. Normal places of social connection, like markets, shops, resturants, schools, offices, parks etc are shuttered. Even if some people are able to get out the number of people and the connections they make is much reduced.

Even if your lockdown is imperfect you have greatly hampered the virus's ability to spread.
Now multiply this all over the country.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

Pakistan green-lights Phase III trials for Covid vaccine
This will be first clinical trial of any vaccine in country

Razya KhanAugust 18, 2020

PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination has received formal approval from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for Phase III clinical trials of the corona vaccine.

According to a statement from the NIH, the medical facility has obtained "the formal approval from DRAP for Phase III Clinical Trial of Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine Adenovirus Type 5 vector (Ad5-nCoV) developed by CanSinoBio and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China [BIB]".

“This will be the first ever phase III clinical trial for any vaccine in Pakistan.”

The vaccine, developed by the Cansino Biologists and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China, has been approved for clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine Phase 3.

This will be the first phase 3 clinical trial of any vaccine in Pakistan.

According to a spokesman for the National Institutes of Health, this is a multi-country multi-center clinical trial that Cansino Bio has already launched in China, Russia, Chile, Argentina and will soon launch in Saudi Arabia.

The Principal Investigator of Multi-Center Clinical Trials in Pakistan is Major General Amir Ikram, Executive Director, NIH, Islamabad.

The study is a tripartite activity among the National Institutes of Health, Cansino Biocompany and A. J. M Pharma.

The study will be conducted at renowned medical research centers of the country including Aga Khan Medical University Karachi, Indus Hospital Karachi, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital Lahore, Shifa International Hospital Islamabad and UHS Lahore.

Initiatives such as the Phase 3 clinical trial in Pakistan will not only enhance Pakistan's ability to develop vaccines locally and pave the way for private-public partnerships, but will also project a positive image of the country around the world.

It will also ensure preferential supply of vaccines at reasonable prices in Pakistan.

Cansino Bio Company was the first company in the world to conduct clinical trials of corona vaccine Phase 2 and trials of vaccine on humans.

The company published its Phase 1 trial results in May 2020 and Phase 2 results in July 2020.

As part of this study by the National Institutes of Health, Pakistan will be on the list of priority countries that will have early access to the corona vaccine.

China will also supply a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by a unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) to Pakistan as part of a trial agreement, reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

State-owned Sinopharm is set to work with the University of Karachi on vaccine trials, according to the WSJ report, which said Pakistan will receive enough doses early in distribution to vaccinate about one-fifth of its population.

The initial doses will be used to vaccinate the most vulnerable among the Pakistani population including the elderly, healthcare workers and people with medical conditions associated with serious cases of Covid-19, the report added.

Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine appeared to be safe and triggered antibody-based immune responses in early and mid-stage trials, according to researchers.

The candidate has already moved into a late-stage trial, one of a handful of candidates being tested on several thousand people to see if they are effective enough to win regulatory approval.

Sinopharm is testing the potential vaccine in the United Arab Emirates in a Phase 3 trial expected to recruit 15,000 people, as China has too few new cases to be a useful trial site.

The shot did not cause any serious side effects, according to a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by scientists who are part of Sinopharm and other China-based disease control authorities and research institutes.

(With additional input from news desk)

 

[Imran Khan]

12,116 active cases remaining soon we will be in 4 digits

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Another 613 cases reported in a day. Unfortunately 11 people lost their lives. 2119 people recovered. 22,859 tests conducted out of which ratio comes at 2.68%.

Testing Stats. Wow Punjab conducted more tests than Sindh

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Another 513 cases reported in a day. Unfortunately, 8 people lost their lives yesterday. 676 people recovered. 23,670 tests conducted out of which ratio comes at 2.17%.

7 people died in Sindh and 1 in GB.

Testing Stats

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Another 630 cases reported in a day. Unfortunately, 10 people lost their lives yesterday. 775 people recovered. 25613 tests conducted out of which ratio comes at 2.46%.

7 people died in Sindh, 2 people in Punjab and 1 in KPK.

Testing Status

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Another 586 cases reported in a day. Unfortunateky, 10 people lost their lives yesterday. 1738 people recovered. 25,537 tests conducted out of which ratio comes at 2.29%.