After Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Lahore Institute of Cardiology (PIC) Lahore also appeared as another hot spot for COVID-19

It was reported that 12 doctors, nurses, and paramedics had been infected with the virus, as well as the patient who underwent surgery at the institute.

Samples of 250 people including doctors and paramedical assistants working in PIC  were sent for laboratory tests and their reports are pending review.CEO of prior informed consent d. Saqib Shafi is also among the suspected cases that have been closely contacted with some confirmed COVID-19 patients. The increasing local transmission of the virus affects people especially doctors and paramedics, as no one who has been infected with the virus in PIC has had a history of traveling abroad. Professor Shafi confirmed that three doctors, five nurses, and paramedics are among 12 people who have been infected with the virus in prior informed consent. He said that a few days ago, the PIC cardiac surgery test was also positive after mild symptoms appeared. He said that there is a possibility of the professor suffering from a heart patient who underwent surgery at the institute and was then confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus. 

 Professor Shafi announced that the lead doctor was immediately transferred to Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute where he was recovering quickly. He said that after the first confirmed case of the virus appeared in the PIC, the investigation began and samples were sent from the patient who was run by a cardiology professor for laboratory tests that were positive. After alerting the development, the institute expanded the scope of investigations and sent samples from all doctors, nurses, and paramedics who assisted cardiac surgeons in the operating room to perform the tests. Likewise, all workers in the cardiac care unit where the patient was transferred after surgery are suspected to be, in addition to those who interacted at the institute, said the head of the PIC. He said samples from a total of 125 people were sent to the government laboratory for analysis on Monday and 12 of them were positive including the personal assistant to the professor. 

 The institute also tracked contacts of confirmed and suspected patients, and on Tuesday sent samples from 120 PIC staff including doctors, nurses, and paramedics.Professor Shafi said I was also among these suspects, as the professor of cardiac surgery interacted with me during the official missions and meetings that many of his high-ranking colleagues also attended. 

 He said that most of the confirmed patients were positive for virus without symptoms and were isolated in the various health centers in the state. Professor Shafi said: "To all of us surprised in the pic, the patient who underwent a major heart operation quickly recovered from COVID-19 when he was removed from the ventilator." In his view, given the situation so far, it can be assumed that the impact of the virus in Pakistan was not as deadly as it was in some European countries and the United States. Nevertheless, we are required to conduct a thorough investigation of the coronavirus to reach a conclusion about its severity and type, ”said the PIC chief.