The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) in Karachi has now become the second location within the country to be able to diagnose the coronavirus.
The only institute other than DUHS which has the technology to detect the virus is the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.
In a press statement, the institute announced that it had received the kits that had been order last month upon the outbreak of the virus. DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammed Saeed Quraishi had ordered for the kits from Korea.
The DUHS has the equipment required to conduct the tests using the kits, it added. According to the statement, the tests require very strict procedures to be followed and may only be carried out in isolation wards and a 10-bed isolation ward has already been set up on the direction of the Sindh Health Department.
As of yet there have been no cases of the virus in Pakistan, according to Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza. All the suspects have tested negative.
The virus is however quickly spreading across the world and has been detected in 24 countries outside of China while the death toll has risen to 1100.
