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سانس کے نئے وائرس، جن میں کووڈ-19 بھی شامل ہے: ان کو بھانپنے، روکنے، مقابلے اور قابو پانے کے طریقے

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کورونہ وائرس ایک بہت بڑی وائرس کی فیملی کا نام ہے جو ایک بیماری پیدا کرتے ہیں جی میں عمومی بخار سے لے کر سخت بیماریاں جیسا کہ وسطی ایشیا کی سانس کی وبا (MERS) اور پچیدہ جان لیوہ سانس کی وبا (SARS) شامل ہیں۔

نوول کورونہ وائرس (COVID-19) چائنہ کے شہر ووہان میں 2019 میں ملا تھا۔ یہ ایک نیا کورونہ وائرس ہے جو اس سے پہلے انسانوں میں نہیں دیکھا گیا۔

یہ کورس COVID-19 اور دوسرے بڑھتے ہو وائرسوں کے لیے کے متعلق عمومی تعارف بیان کرتا ہے ان افراد کو جو عوامی صحت کے پیشہ ور، موقعے پر موجود افراد اور جو لوگ یونائیٹڈ نیشنز، بین الاقوامی اداروں اور این جی اوز کے لیے کام کرتے

براہ کرم نوٹ کریں کہ اس کورس کے مواد میں حالیہ رہنمائی کی عکاسی کرنے کے لیے فی الحال نظر ثانی کی جا رہی ہے۔ آپ درج ذیل کورسز میں COVID-19 سے متعلقہ بعض موضوعات پر تازہ ترین معلومات حاصل کر سکتے ہیں: ویکسینیشن: COVID-19 ویکسینز چینل اقدامات انفیکشن کی روک تھام اور کنٹرول: IPC برائے COVID-19 اینٹیجن ریپڈ ڈائیگنوسٹک ٹیسٹنگ: 1) SARS-CoV-2 اینٹیجن ریپڈ ڈائیگنوسٹک ٹیسٹنگ ؛ 2) SARS-CoV-2 اینٹیجن RDT کے نفاذ کے لیے اہم تحفظات

براہ کرم نوٹ کریں: یہ مواد آخری بار 16/12/2020 کو اپ ڈیٹ کیا گیا تھا۔

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ماڈیول الف: ابھرتے ہوئے سانس کے وائرس کا تعارف ، بشمول covid-19:, ماڈیول ب : covid-19 سمیت سانس کے ابھرتے ہوئے وائرس کا پتہ لگانا: نگرانی اور لیبارٹری میں تحقیقات :, ماڈیول ج: خطرے کی اطلاعات اور کمیونٹی کی مصروفیت:, ماڈیول د: ایک ابھرتی ہوئی سانس کے وائرس کی روک تھام اور اس کا جواب ، جس میں کووڈ 19 بھی شامل ہے:, enroll me for this course, certificate requirements.

• Gain a Record of Achievement by earning at least 80% of the maximum number of points from all graded assignments.
• Gain an Open Badge by completing the course.

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اردو کووڈ-19 معلومات - Urdu COVID-19 information

6 ماہ سے 15 سال کی عمر کے بچوں کے لیے کوویڈ-19 ویکسین covid-19 vaccines for babies and children aged 6 months to 15 years, والدین اور سرپرستوں کے لیے وسائل resources for parents and guardians.

 والدین کے لیے Pfizer ویکسین کے کتابچے کے بارے میں 6 ماہ کے لیے اہم معلومات – 4 سال (PDF, 983 KB, 16 pages)   Information leaflet about COVID-19 vaccine for parents of children aged 6 months to 4 years (Pfizer/BioNTech, Comirnaty)

سال کے بچوں کے لیے کووڈ 19 ویکسین کے متعلق والدین اور سرپرستوں کے لئے اہم معلومات (فائزر/بائیونٹیک،کمرنٹی) 11-5 (PDF, 1.70 MB, 16 pages) Information leaflet about COVID-19 vaccine for parents of children aged 5-11 (Pfizer/BioNTech, Comirnaty) 

12 سے 15 سال تک عمر کے بچوں کے والدین کے لئے کووڈ-19 ویکسین Pfizer BioNTech کے متعلق معلومات او نگہداشت (PDF, 1.89 MB, 16 pages) Information leaflet about COVID-19 vaccine for parents of children aged 12-15 (Pfizer/BioNTech, Comirnaty) 

بچوں کے لیے وسائل Resources for children

کووڈ- 19 ویکسین لگوانا (PDF, 2.03 MB, 2 pages) Getting my COVID-19 vaccine

16 سال اور اس سے زیادہ عمر کے لوگوں کے لیے کوویڈ-19 ویکسین COVID -19 vaccines for people aged 16 and over

فائزر، موڈرنا، جانسن اور نوواواکس ویکسین کے بارے میں معلومات (PDF, 664 KB, 24 pages) Information leaflet about your Pfizer, Moderna,   VidPrevtyn Beta or Novavax vaccine

کووڈ-19 کی معلومات COVID-19 information

COVID-19 ویکسین بوسٹر (PDF, 865 KB, 1 page) COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Poster

حاملہ خواتین کے لیےکوویڈ 19 ویکسین (YouTube, length 6:36 sec) COVID-19 vaccination information for Pregnant Women

ان وسائل کو باقاعدگی سے اپ ڈیٹ کیا جاتا ہے مگر کووڈ-19 ویکسینز کے متعلق تازہ ترین معلومات www.hse.ie/COVID19vaccine پر دستیاب ہیں۔. These resources are updated regularly but the most up to date information on COVID-19 vaccines is available on  www.hse.ie/COVID19vaccine .

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• v.35; 2020 May

COVID-19 outbreak: current scenario of Pakistan

1) Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

2) Department of Biotechnology, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir Lower, Pakistan

3) Department of Human Genetics, Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan

4) Department of Zoology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan

Associated Data

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

COVID-19 outbreak was first time experienced in the Wuhan City of China at the end of December 2019. Which spread rapidly in China and then worldwide in 209 countries of America, Europe, Australia and Asia including Pakistan. There are more than fifty thousand mortalities and one million plus people have been affected worldwide, while figure increases rapidly. Different steps have been taken worldwide for the control of COVID-19. Even with less resources Pakistan also taken rigorous measures like designed special hospitals, Laboratories for testing, quarantine facilities, awareness campaign and lock down to control the spread of virus. We highlighted the efforts of government to combat this deadly pneumonia.

Introduction

The COVID-19 outbreak was treated as a case of pneumonia with unknown etiology appeared in the Wuhan city of China, at the end of December 2019, which spread across the country to worldwide with a high rate [ 1 ]. The PRC (People's Republic of China) Centre for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed the respiratory samples and declared that the pneumonia was caused by a novel coronavirus which named the pneumonia as Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP) [ 2 ]. The coronavirus is one of the major virus that target the respiratory system of the human [ 3 ]. The Chinese researchers named the virus as 2019-nCoV [ 4 ]. Later, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Virus named the novel coronavirus as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [ 5 ]. On the same day, February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) name the Pneumonia as Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) [ 6 ].

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID 19 outbreak as sixth public health of emergency Services (SPHEC) on January 30, 2020 [ 7 ]. This was not the first outbreak of the coronavirus. The previous coronavirus outbreaks include Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) outbreak and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak [ 8 ]. The COVID-19 thought the third outbreak of the coronavirus which affected more than 209 countries including Pakistan. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), total of 1,093,349 confirmed cases with 58,620 mortalities. To date, the number of highest positive cases encountered in USA followed by Italy and Spain [ 9 ].

The border countries of Pakistan highly affected including China, where the COVID-19 outbreak experienced first time. In the west, Italy with highest number of COVID-19 mortalities while in the north, Iran a high number of mortalities after the Italy [ 10 ]. In Pakistan, the first case of COVID-19 has been confirmed by the Ministry of Health, government of Pakistan on February 26, 2020 in Karachi, Sindh province. On the same day another case confirmed by the Pakistan Federal Ministry of Health in Islamabad [ 11 , 12 ]. Within fifteen days, the number of total confirmed cases (COVID-19 Positive) reached to twenty (20) out of 471 suspected cases with highest numbers in the Sindh province followed by the Gilgit Baltistan. All of the confirmed cases had recent travel history from Iran, Syria and London. And currently these cases increase by high rate and the situation is worst [ 13 ].

The geographical location of Pakistan, with the continuous increases in the number of CVOID-19 positive cases need a high level of action, planes and management. On 12th of February, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination Pakistan presented a plane “National Action Plan for Preparedness & Response to Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) Pakistan”, the aims to control the spreading of virus and to strengthen country and community emergency preparedness in order to ensure a timely, efficient and effective response to potential events due to Covid-19 including. The local, regional and national outbreaks that can have a significant impact on the health of Pakistani population and society [ 14 ]. To date, different steps have been taken by the government of Pakistan against COVID-19 outbreak. In this review, we highlighted the different steps taken by the government of Pakistan against CoVID-19, such as designated hospitals, quarantine centers, testing facilities, treatments, public awareness and the response of local community against COVID-19 outbreak.

Current situation in Pakistan

According to the Ministry of Health, government of Pakistan, there are total of 3277 confirmed positive cases in the country with 18 critical and 50 mortalities on Monday, April 6, 2020. The highest cases appeared in the Punjab province (1493) followed by Sindh (881), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (405), Balochistan (191), Gilgit baltistan (210), Federal (82) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir have 15 confirmed cases. The results have heen shown in figure. To date, the highest number of mortalities occurred in Khyber pakhtunkhwa with 16, followed by Punjab (15), Sindh (15), Gilgit Baltistan (3), Balochistan (1). A total of 85 infected people have been recovered in Sindh province, followed by KP (30), Balochitsan (17), and Punjab (25) GB (9) and AJK have one recovery till date as summarized in Table 1 . The mortality rate in Pakistan is 1.3% and recovery rate is 4.8% [ 15 ].

Table 1

The current figures of COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan

Facilitation by government of Pakistan against COVID-19

The Government of Pakistan is taking all the measures against the COVID-19 to provide and insure the responsibilities of the state for their people. Since the first day when the first case was conformed in Karachi city of Sindh all the services and measures were used with the extreme capabilities to ensure the safeness of life in the region. Meanwhile, all the cases have a travel history, suggesting transmission elsewhere being imported in the country. The government of Pakistan provides the COVID-19 mitigation strategies with their measures. Such as early case detection and Tracing and tracking of contacts, Risk communication, Social Distancing, Quarantine and Isolation to avoid the spread of COVID-19 [ 16 ].

The Government of Pakistan has established a COVID-19 Relief Fund to receive donation for the welfare of publics. Social network helplines were launched by the Government in seven (07) local languages. Communication Task Force Baluchistan with the support of UNHCR has developed IEC material in Dari and Pashto Languages. The materials will be distributed in all villages with refugees in Baluchistan. The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued directives for closure of OPDs and elective surgical services from 1-13 April 2020 in all the Tertiary Care Hospitals, District Headquarters Hospitals and Private Clinics throughout the province. The Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) has allocation $ 60 million to Global Response plan for COVID-19. Sindh Government has established first drive through COVID-19 Testing facility in Karachi [ 17 ].

Hospitals for COVID-19 in Pakistan

The arrangements to fight against the COVID-19, there are lots of measures being taken by the government of Pakistan to control the outbreak and facilitate their people. There were many hospitals been working in this scenario to bring back the life and fight against the deadly outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

In the capital territory Islamabad, there was a single hospital functional. While in the Baluchistan, there were 10 hospitals for COVID-19. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 7, Punjab (PJB) 6, Sindh (SD) 4, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 4, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 3 hospitals were functional [ 18 ] as showed in the Fig. 1 .

Number of Hospitals for COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Designated hospitals

Specific hospitals have been approved for admission and management of suspected and confirmed based upon availability of quality isolation wards at Federal, provincial and regional level. Each institute and hospital are expected to conduct need and availability assessment of supplies (equipment, personal protective equipment, laboratory diagnostics) and including identification of sources to ensure provision and availability of PPEs and other equipment. Notify and train IPC (Infection prevention and control) team at the designated hospitals. A trained IPC focal person be nominated to ensure the IPC measures implanted and imbedded. The recently drafted National IPC guidelines/SOPs (Standard operational procedure) will be distributed and implemented which are following;

• 1. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been developed and disseminated for waste management at hospitals and airports. Local SOPs should be established and available in all HCFs with appropriate training of the staff assigned to handle the waste.
• 2. Disinfection and Environmental decontamination SOPs were developed.

Isolation wards were built all over Pakistan to prepare for COVID-19 pandemic, Province/Region wise number of designated Hospitals ICT-01, Punjab-06, Sindh-04, Baluchistan-10, KP-07, GB-04 and AJK-03. The total number of beds in isolation wards in whole country are 23,557 were established. In capital territory Islamabad 350 beds, Punjab 10,948, Sindh 2,100, Baluchistan 5,897, KP 2,760, GB 972 and in AJK 530 beds facilities were established in isolation wards [ 19 ].

Hospitals with isolation wards province-wise for COVID-19 in Pakistan

Isolation is different from quarantine, and is the separation of ill or infected persons from others, so as to prevent the spread of infection or contamination. The hospitals use for isolation for COVID-19 people were widely disturbed in provinces which arise the good gesture which being use in this scenario throughout Pakistan to control the outbreak of COVID-19. The distributions of hospitals being used for isolation on districts basis.

In Islamabad (capital territory), there were been only one medical faculty using for isolation with the capacity of 10 beds. In the province of Baluchistan's 14 districts, each of them having medical facilities against COVID_19, while some districts have more than single hospitals. In the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's 33 districts. There were 110 medical facilities functional. In the province of Punjab's 34 districts. There were 50 medical facilities functional. In the Sindh province, in the 4 districts, 4 medical facilities were functional. In the Gilgit-Baltistan's, 10 districts have 21 medical facilities while in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir's 9 districts have 15 medical facilities as shown in Fig. 2 . The number of bed and capacity of patients depend on the COVID-19 positive cases [ 20 ].

Hospitals with isolation wards Province-wise for COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Quarantine facilities province-wise for COVID-19 in Pakistan

The Quarantines being used to restrict the activities or separation of persons (in a non-health care facility) who were not ill yet, but who might have been exposed to an infectious agent or disease such as COVID 19 with the objective of monitoring symptoms and early detection of cases. The places use for Quarantine of COVID-19 people was widely disturbed in provinces. The total number of Quarantine's 23,557 in 139 districts of the Pakistan which arise the good gesture which being use in this scenario throughout Pakistan to control the outbreak of COVID-19. In Islamabad the capital of the country, have allotted the two quarantine facilities. In the Baluchistan, there were 10, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 52, Punjab 6, Sindh 2, while Gilgit-Baltistan 63 quarantine facilities were being functional as showed in the Fig. 3 . In AJK there were 4 quarantine facilities were being functional in the various districts [ 21 ].

Quarantine Facilities Province-wise for COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Testing facilities in Pakistan

Globally PCR is used for COVID-19 test which are the best and easy method, so Pakistan's government also recommends PCR method. In different cities across the country 15 (ICT-01, Balochistan-01, KP-01, Punjab-04, Sindh-05, AJK-01, GB-01 and NIH mobile testing lab deployed in Taftan) laboratories have been equipped with free PCR system facilities for COVID-19 test. Pakistan's testing capacity has been increased from 30,000 to 280,000 and would be further enhanced to 900,000. Since the outbreak the country has carried out nearly 15,000 coronavirus tests. In order to improve the testing efficiency, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) works with National Institute of Health (NIH) to rise the current number of coronavirus testing laboratories from 15 to 50. The new testing labs would be set in different cities across the country. Pakistan is also launching a training program for paramedics and laboratory staff to resolve the deficiency. NDMA would recruit 100 lab technicians with expertise in molecular biology [ 22 ].

Conclusion and future prospects

The COVID-19 coursed by SARS-CoV-2 in the Wuhan city of China which rapidly spread in 208 countries/regions including USA, UK, Italy, Spain and Pakistan. The current scenario of Pakistan is not satisfactory as Pakistan is much populated country where required more facilitation. Pakistan is a developing country where the financial position is not better as compared to China, USA, UK, Russia to combat with COVID-19 outbreak. The number of hospitals and quarantine facilities being not fulfilled as required. If these medical facilities improved, then it will not be difficult to control the transmission of viruses and treatment of patients. Currently the testing facilities are much lower than the required target. The testing facilities could increase by five to ten (5to 10) folds. The right steps should be taken to control the situation more worst such as staying at homes, lockdown, social distancing, using sanitizers, face mask when necessary. Pakistan needs more screening facilities for the arrivals as well as for the departures. It is hoped that Pakistan will overtake the COVID-19.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not Applicable.

Consent for publication

Availability of data, declaration of competing of interest.

The authors declares no conflict of interest.

The authors received no specific funding for this work. This work has not been funded by any funding agency.

Authors' contribution

AW and AK search the different data base for literature retrieval. AB arrange, compile the format, and handle the correspondence. AW, AA and MA selected the literature and finalize the manuscript. The authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Dr. Abdul Baset Bacha Khan University Charsadda and Mr. Misbahud Din Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad for their valuable suggestion in improving this review.

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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age. 

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by staying at least 1 metre apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn and follow local guidance.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory etiquette, for example by coughing into a flexed elbow, and to stay home and self-isolate until you recover if you feel unwell.

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To prevent infection and to slow transmission of COVID-19, do the following: 

• Get vaccinated when a vaccine is available to you.
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• Wear a properly fitted mask when physical distancing is not possible or when in poorly ventilated settings.
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COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.

Most common symptoms:

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Less common symptoms:

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• a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
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Serious symptoms:

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Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms.  Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility. 

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home. 

On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days. 

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Humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat the coronavirus

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to  every continent  except Antarctica. Cases are rising daily in Africa the Americas, and Europe.

Countries are racing to slow the spread of the disease by testing and treating patients, carrying out contact tracing, limiting travel, quarantining citizens, and cancelling large gatherings such as sporting events, concerts, and schools.

The pandemic is moving like a wave—one that may yet crash on those least able to cope.

But COVID-19 is much more than a health crisis. By stressing every one of the countries it touches, it has the potential to create devastating social, economic and political crises that will leave deep scars.

We are in uncharted territory. Many of our communities are unrecognizable from even a week ago. Dozens of the world’s greatest cities are deserted as people stay indoors, either by choice or by government order. Across the world, shops, theatres, restaurants and bars are closing.

Every day, people are losing jobs and income, with no way of knowing when normality will return. Small island nations, heavily dependent on tourism, have empty hotels and deserted beaches. The International Labour Organization estimates that 25 million jobs could be lost.

UNDP response

Every country needs to act immediately to prepare, respond, and recover. The UN system will support countries through each stage, with a focus on the most vulnerable.

Drawing on our experience with other outbreaks such as Ebola, HIV, SARS, TB and malaria, as well as our long history of working with the private and public sector , UNDP will help countries to urgently and effectively respond to COVID-19 as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crises and shocks.

“We are already hard at work, together with our UN family and other partners, on three immediate priorities : supporting the health response including the procurement and supply of essential health products, under WHO’s leadership, strengthening crisis management and response, and addressing critical social and economic impacts.” UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner

Responding with people at the centre

Pakistan has witnessed a massive increase in its confirmed cases from the initial two confirmed on 26th February 2020. As a country whose economy is highly reliant on manufacturing and service industries, shutdown measures and disruptions in supply chains will negatively impact on the economy and society, particularly the poor. 

As in other countries, the pandemic is likely to stress the capacity of the public health system and result in loss of human lives.  Severe repercussions on livelihoods, especially of the most vulnerable, dependent on government support, are expected.  The shutdown measures have already impacted small businesses, small and medium enterprises and daily wagers associated with various sectors of the economy. Considering that the informal sector in the country accounts for a major share of the national economy[1] and employs 27.3 million individuals, an increase in un(der)employment and poverty coupled with implications on food production and overall food security are anticipated.

The Government of Pakistan is concerned with the social and economic implications of COVID-19 and has established, with the help of UNDP, a COVID-19 Secretariat in the Planning Commission to prepare a coordinated economic and social response and design evidence-informed interventions. The Secretariat is required to ensure adequate coordination between Federal and Provincial Governments, with UN and Development Partners.  

In this regard, the federal government as well as provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have requested UNDP’s support on a range of areas including coordination, strategic communications, crisis management, business continuity and digital solutions to manage government response to the pandemic. Assistance with procurement of medical supplies and equipment is also being discussed.

Against this background, UNDP is currently in the following activities in response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.  (This page will be updated regularly.)

Supporting the Federal Government in coordination and strategic communications:

• Supporting the Planning Commission in establishing a Secretariat for coordinating socio-economic impact of COVID-19;
• Supporting the Federal Government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government with Strategic Communications and Awareness;
• Supporting Economic Affairs Division to design ODA coordination system (aid effectiveness).

Supporting Ministry of Health and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government in health system response:

• Capacity support in crisis management and provision of digital solutions to enable business continuity;
• Supporting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government to enhance supply chain management (including procurement of health supplies and equipment).

Coordination of UN socio-economic impact needs assessment to identify mitigation responses:

• Impact assessment on the most vulnerable, policy recommendations & proposed programme interventions, to feed into the national action plan for COVID-19.

[1] The figure ranges from 18.2% to 71% based on different analysis 

While we do this, we must also consider ways to prevent a similar pandemic recurring. In the longer term, UNDP will look at ways to help countries to better prevent and manage such crises and ensure that the world makes full use of what we will learn from this one.

A global response now is an investment in our future.

Translations

Health information and related topics in Urdu. Includes information on NHS Scotland, illnesses and conditions, and your health rights.

Care, support and rights

How the nhs handles your personal health information (urdu).

How your personal health information will be used and shared when you access NHS services in Scotland

It’s OK to ask (Urdu)

Be ready for your next appointment by downloading our patient information leaflet

My important information for NHS 24 (Urdu)

Things to write down about your health that you may be asked by NHS 24

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Long-term effects of covid-19 (long covid) (urdu).

Information and support for people with long COVID

Healthy living

Receiving nhs dental treatment in scotland (urdu).

Information about receiving NHS dental treatment in Scotland in Urdu

Infections and poisoning

Chest infection (urdu).

Learn about chest infection symptoms and treatments

Lungs and airways

Cough (urdu).

Learn about the causes and treatments of coughing and when to see your GP

Menopause and post menopause health

Menopause (urdu).

An overview of menopause, including peri and post menopause

Signs and symptoms of menopause (Urdu)

Information around the symptoms of menopause

Early and premature menopause (Urdu)

Information about early and premature menopause

Treating menopause symptoms (Urdu)

Information about the options available to treat symptoms of menopause

Information about hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Menopause and the workplace (Urdu)

Information on menopause and the workplace

Menopause and your mental wellbeing (Urdu)

Information about how menopause can impact your mental wellbeing

Supporting someone through the menopause (Urdu)

Find out about how you can support someone through the menopause

Sexual wellbeing and menopause (Urdu)

Information about sexual wellbeing during and after the menopause

After the menopause (Urdu)

Find out about how things might change when you are postmenopause

Mental wellbeing

Mind to mind: five steps to mental wellbeing (urdu).

Five steps to mental wellbeing in Urdu

Periods and menstrual health

Periods (menstruation) (urdu).

Information about periods including pain and PMS

Choosing period products (Urdu)

Information about period products and where to get them

Delayed start to periods (Urdu)

Information about delayed and irregular periods

Period pain (dysmenorrhoea) (Urdu)

Information about period pain including ways to help

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) (Urdu)

Information about PMS and PMDD

Heavy periods (Urdu)

Information about heavy periods including possible causes and when to speak to your doctor

Irregular periods (Urdu)

Information about irregular periods including possible causes and when to speak to your doctor

Paused periods (Urdu)

Information about why you may have stopped your period

Periods and pregnancy (Urdu)

Information about how periods are linked to fertility

Adenomyosis (Urdu)

Information about adenomyosis including diagnosis and treatment

Endometriosis (Urdu)

Learn about endometriosis symptoms and treatments

Fibroids (Urdu)

Learn about fibroids symptoms and treatments

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Urdu)

Information about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms and treatment

Bowel screening (Urdu)

Information about bowel screening in Scotland

Cervical screening (Urdu)

Information about cervical screening in Scotland

HPV awareness (Urdu)

Information about HPV and how to protect yourself

Breast screening (Urdu)

Information about breast screening in Scotland

Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract

Diarrhoea (urdu).

Learn about diarrhoea causes and treatments

Gastroenteritis (Urdu)

Learn about gastroenteritis symptoms and treatments

Your growing family

Contraception after birth (urdu).

Find out more about contraception after birth

(COVID-19) 2019 اردو - کورونا وائرس (Urdu)

(COVID-19) 2019 کورونا وائرس (Coronavirus Disease 2019)

حکومت نے COVID-19 کے لئے ردعمل کی سطح کو کم کردیا ہے۔ تفصیلات کے لئے، براہ مہربانی متعلقہ پریس ریلیز ملاحظہ کریں.

The Government has lowered response level for COVID-19. For details, please refer to the relevant press release .

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202305/30/P2023053000552.htm

ویکسین سے متعلق معلومات (Information on Vaccines)

غیر فعال کوویڈ-19 ویکسین کی ویکسی نیشن کے لئے فیکٹ شیٹ (Factsheet for Vaccination of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine)

mRNA کوویڈ-19 ویکسین کی ویکسینیشن کے لیے حقائق نامہ (Factsheet for Vaccination of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine)

• XBB COVID-19 ویکسینیشن کا دوسرا مرحلہ بکنگ اور ویکسی نیشن (Second phase of XBB COVID-19 Vaccination, booking and vaccination)

COVID-19 ویکسین اور سیزنل انفلوئنزا ویکسینیشن کا مشترکہ انتظام (Co-administration of COVID-19 Vaccine and Seasonal Influenza Vaccine)

کووڈ-19 و ویکسینیشن نیا انتظام (COVID-19 vaccination new arrangement)

ٹیکہ لگوانے کے بعد کے اثرات (Symptoms after Vaccination)

COVID-19 ٹیکہ کے مضر اثرات سے نپٹنا (Handling Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines)

پرسنل ڈیڻا جمع کرنے کے مقاصد کا بیان (Statement of Purpose of Collection of Personal Data)

پرسنل ڈیڻا جمع کرنے کے مقاصد کا بیان (Statement of Purpose of Collection of Personal Data (B&W leaflet))

وائرس کی جانچ (Virus Testing)

Video - COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test | Demo Video (Video - COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test | Demo Video)

صحت سے متعلق مشورہ (Health Advice)

چوپ اسٹکس اور چمچ استعمال کی جائے (Use serving chopsticks and spoon)

جراثیموں کو نہ پھیلائیں ٹوائلٹ استعمال کرنے کے بعد، فلش کرنے سے قبل ٹوائلٹ کا ڈھکن نیچے گرا دیں (Don't spread germs: After using toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing)

نکاسی کے پائپوں کی دیکھ بھال کریں اور یو-ٹریپس میں باقاعدگی سے پانی شامل کریں (Maintain drainage pipes properly and add water to the U-traps regularly)

اپنے اردگرد موجود افراد تک جراثیموں کو نہ پھیلائیں (Don't spread germs to those around you: Cover your cough)

کھانسنے کے آداب برقرار رکھیں (Maintain Cough Manners)

ماسک کو موزوں طور پر پہنیں (Wear a Surgical Mask Properly)

سرجیکل ماسک کا موزوں طور پر اتارے جانا اور محفوظ تلفی (Proper Removal and Safe Disposal of a Surgical Mask)

سرجیکل ماسک سے متعلق مزید جانیں (Know more about Surgical Mask)

مناسب طریقے سے ماسک استعمال کریں - اپنا تحفظ کریں اور دوسروں کا تحفظ کریں (Use mask properly – Protect ourselves and protect others)

ہاتھوں کا حفظان صحت – انفیکشن روکنے کا ایک آسان اور مؤثر طریقہ (Hand Hygiene - An easy and effective way to prevent infection)

• کورونا وائرس  2019 (COVID-19) (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
• نمونیا اور تنفسی نالی کے انفیکشن سے بچاؤ کے لیے مشورہ برائے صحت (ایبسٹریکٹ ورژن) (Health Advice on Prevention of Pneumonia and Respiratory Tract Infection (Abstract version))

متفرق (Miscellaneous)

نکاسی آب کے پائپ کی دیکھ بھال کے بارے میں جاننے کی باتیں (What you need to know about drainage pipe maintenance)

ویکسینیشن کا دوسرا مرحلہ بکنگ اور ویکسی نیشن XBB COVID-19 (Second phase of XBB COVID-19 Vaccination, booking and vaccination)

(COVID-19) کورونا وائرس  2019 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)

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Coronavirus outbreak: what our urdu poets wrote about pandemics, amid news of people thronging temples during this pandemic, here’s a hark back to historic pilgrimages & pandemics..

Perhaps the most searing announcement of self-imposed social distancing, long before the term gained currency in these COVID-infested times, is this ghazal by Delhi’s pre-eminent poet, Mirza Ghalib:

Rahiye ab aisi jagah chal kar jahan koi na ho Hum-suḳhan koi na ho aur ham-zaban koi na ho Be-dar-o-diwar sa ik ghar banaya chahiye Koi hum-saya na ho aur pasban koi na ho Padiye gar bimaar to koi na ho timaardar Aur agar mar jaaiye to nauha-ḳhwan koi na ho

Let us go and live somewhere where there is no one No one who speaks to me in my language, no one to talk to I will make something that is like a house (But) There won’t be any neighbours, nor anyone to guard it Were I to fall ill, there will be no one to tend me And when I die, no one to mourn me

When Fiction Predicted the Reality of the Novel Coronavirus

Aftermath of Revolt of 1857

Of course, there was no Coronavirus scare in Delhi then, but in the immediate aftermath of the Revolt of 1857, many citizens of Delhi, who had chosen to stay back in their battle-scarred, besieged city, were house-bound. With rations running low, plummeting morale and deteriorating civic conditions, there was mounting news of the atrocities being unleashed by the British on hapless citizens. These three couplets are said to have been written in response to the Nawab of Farrukhabad being picked up by the British for aiding the rebels, and abandoned on an island off the shore of Arabia.

They reflect the hopelessness and escapism that afflicted many Indians of Ghalib’s generation.

The words ‘ bechaini’ , ‘beqarari’ , ‘ dard ’, especially ‘dard-e dil ’, feature prominently in Urdu poetry, such as this sher by, again, Ghalib:

Ishq se tabiat ne ziist ka maza paaya Dard ki davaa paai dard-e-be-dava paaya

It’s from love we learnt the savour of life Found the cure for pain and the pain that has no cure

But if it is of sickness, ill health or malady ( bimaari ), in particular that we speak, there is Ghalib (again) with his oft-quoted:

Un ke dekhe se jo aa jaati hai munh par raunaq Woh samajhte hain ki bimar ka haal achchha hai

The glow that comes to my face when they look at me They think the patient is feeling better today

Of Death & Disease

Others who have written on sickness, though almost always in the abstract, there is this by Mubarak Azimabadi:

Mehrbani charasazon ki baḌhi Jab badha darman to bimari baḌhi

The kindness of my physicians increased When the medicine increased so did the illness

And this by Khalilur Rehman Raz in much the same vein:

Kya suna.en jan-ba-lab qaumon ki bimari ka haal Dard badhta hi gaya juun juun dava karte rahe

What shall I tell you about the sickness of the nations at death’s door The pain increased as we increased the medicine

On ‘ vaba ’ or epidemic in particular, there is this by Hasan Naim:

Sab pareshan hain ki aḳhir kis vaba men vo mire Jin ko ġhurbat ke alava koi bimari na thi

Everyone is worried about the epidemic that will ensnare Them who have no illness save poverty

Seeing an old woman sleeping on the open ground at a time when death and disease are rampant in the country, Josh Malihabadi writes this in a long poem entitled ‘Zaifa’ meaning ‘old woman’:

Aur kis mausam men jab ta.un hai phaila hua Zarra zarra hai vaba ke ḳhauf se simTa hua

At this time when pestilence has spread Every particle has shrunk with the fear of epidemic

Swat Away COVID-19 Quarantine Blues With These Free Books & Music

The Haj & Pilgrim Ships’ Act

The one time when fear of epidemic is very real, and mortality often very high, is during mass religious gatherings, such as the Haj. While the Haj has been studied from many perspectives – religious, sociological, cultural – it has seldom been viewed from the perspective of community health. Saurabh Mishra addresses this lacuna in his book Pilgrimage, Politics, and Pestilence: The Haj from the Indian Subcontinent, 1860-1920 (OUP, 2011).

He looks at the ‘medicalisation’ of Mecca as it reeled from one epidemic to another all through the late nineteenth century till it found some degree of stabilisation through the introduction of quarantine and other regularisations imposed by an increasingly threatened and jittery Europe.

Running apace with this growing ‘medicalisation’ is what Mishra calls the increasing ‘politicisation’, as the Hejaz becomes a highly contested zone, and the pilgrims a volatile, politically-driven lot than the meek, pious passengers of olden days.

Since the bulk of Haj pilgrims in the period of Mishra’s study were from Asia and Africa, where diseases, especially highly contagious ones such as cholera, small pox, typhoid, etc. were rampant, the colonial governments in these parts did their best to control the spread of epidemics at the source, that is, at the exit points for each country, usually the embarkation ports along the Indian Ocean.

Since there was no rule in the Pilgrim Ships’ Act regarding compulsory vaccination then, pilgrims could only be ‘induced’ to get themselves vaccinated by persuasion. Despite the best of intentions, disease and infection could not be entirely controlled. People continued to pour into Mecca, either with forged certificates or without the knowledge that inoculations were for their own good.

Many even believed that being ‘Allah’s guests’, those who die in Mecca, considered the Bait-ul Muqqaddas or the ‘Holiest of Homes’, were assured a straight passage to Heaven. They, therefore, not only made light of any inconveniences or misfortunes, but even considered it a rare privilege to die and be buried in the soil of the holy sites.

Cholera in the Hejaz in 1831

Among the pilgrims who have left behind travel accounts or safarnamas , the few who did note the abysmal lack of systems of sanitary intervention, chose to concentrate on the unsanitary conditions, especially after the ritual sacrifice of an animal at Mina rather than the general state of affairs which bred disease and pestilence. Things reached such a pass in Mina that local authorities were often forced to raise a yellow flag on the mountain top to alert the incoming tide of pilgrims. The raising of the yellow flag struck terror among the devout, but did little to either douse their ardour or improve health and hygiene.

Pilgrims continued to die of infectious diseases in the Hejaz. In 1893, of the 200,000 pilgrims during Haj, 33,000 perished.

Since the great majority of those who flocked to the holy cities were either poor or enfeebled by age, the health hazards of accumulating large numbers of people under unsanitary conditions increased manifold. Cholera, long a scourge in India, appeared in the Hejaz in 1831. From then on till the early twentieth century, it continued to rage and claim thousands of pious victims. The Ottomans, and later, the Nejdis, tried their best to contain it – but by 1865, a major cholera epidemic was raging through the Hejaz. It is said to have originated in Java, and was carried to Mecca by pilgrims, one-third of whom perished during the pilgrimage.

By June the disease was raging in Alexandria. And later that same month, it reached Marseilles, and thence, most of the cities of Europe. In November 1865, cholera was reported in New York City.

Threat of Devastating Cholera Epidemics Invading Europe Via Hejaz

Once the threat of this annual epidemic ravaging western non-endemic, non-Islamic nations became very real, several international conferences were held. Quarantine stations were set up. Port authorities – both at the point of embarkation and disembarkation – were instructed to step up vigilance. Fumigation of pilgrims’ luggage was made compulsory.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, lauded as a great victory for European hegemonic interests, was suddenly seen as a portal of death and destruction.

For the first time in the history of the West’s interaction with the Middle East, fear replaced greed. This fear was overlaid with self-preservation. The threat of devastating cholera epidemics invading Europe by way of the Hejaz succeeded in uniting rival European powers, as the West realised it could not remain at the mercy of the pilgrimage to Mecca year after year. As a result of this fear, the Haj became ‘not merely a subject of concern for European countries, it also fashioned medical practices and debates.

It was the motive force behind the colonial government’s stance on the subject of cholera and quarantines. It was also partly responsible for the lasting sway of the theory of non-contagiousness of cholera in India, long after it had been thoroughly overturned in Europe.’

The Last of the Great Cholera Outbreaks in the Hejaz

The last of the great cholera epidemics in the Hejaz was reported in 1912, thus, ending one chapter in the intertwined story of public health and politics as played out against the backdrop of pilgrimage. For the non-Muslim world, too, the focus of interest shifted from medical surveillance to a watchful mistrust of the increasing politicisation of the pilgrimage. The colonial governments, in particular, were alive to the changing perception of the Haj itself – from trade and commerce, the focus shifted to politics and empire.

While outright intervention in the custodianship of the holy sites is still unimaginable, the politics of pilgrimage plays on in different guises in different parts of the world. In the case of India, there is the politics of assertiveness as in the case of the Ram Navami celebrations in Ayodhya, with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh himself leading the ceremonial prayer on the first day of Navratri on 25 March.

(Rakhshanda Jalil is a writer, translator and literary historian. She writes on literature, culture and society. She runs Hindustani Awaaz, an organisation devoted to the popularisation of Urdu literature. She tweets at @RakhshandaJalil. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

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Topics:    global pandemics      coronavirus 2020      covid-19  .

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