WHO advises Pakistan to boost COVID 19 testing in educational institutes

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants Pakistan to boost COVID-19 testing among students to know the exact numbers. The step is essential for educational institutions to prepare for the second coronavirus wave.

Islamabad-based WHO specialists said a stable positivity rate (less than 2%) was seen by student sampling, but some districts registered more cases.

They noted that the sampling ratio had decreased steadily in educational institutions, which is not a positive indication, bearing in mind the second wave's prospects.

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The experts noted that for the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), only 1,500 to 2,000 tests per day are not enough and should be doubled. They stated that Khyber Medical University's machines are drained, and their ability to perform tests has been decreased.

KP has collected 34,964 samples from students, teachers, and staff members since the re-opening of schools on September 15, of which 360 were positive for coronavirus, 29,015 were negative, and 5,589 are still waiting for the results.

Health experts from KP agree that especially in areas where the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise, the government should increase testing.

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The provincial health officials state that after evaluating the province's situation every week, the decision is made.

The province has recorded 38,367 cases of COVID-19, with 1,264 deaths associated with the virus. During the last 24 hours, 19 new cases and 45 recovery cases have been identified.