Punjab authorities have placed hospitals across the province on alert amid expectations of a rise in COVID-19 and seasonal flu patients, directing senior medical administrators to ensure facilities are prepared for increased pressure on Outpatient Departments (OPDs) and hospital wards.
Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and Medical Superintendents (MS) have been instructed to keep hospitals prepared to manage a possible increase in respiratory illnesses, according to reports on the provincial health advisory.
The move comes as hospitals in Lahore are reportedly seeing a growing number of patients with respiratory and flu-like symptoms.
More than 7,000 such patients were reported at five major government hospitals in the city over a two-day period, according to local media.
Some hospitals have also begun using rapid tests to identify COVID-19 among patients presenting with respiratory symptoms, according to the reports.
Health authorities have warned that seasonal flu can pose greater risks to pregnant women, older people and those with chronic illnesses.
They have advised people to take precautions, particularly in crowded places.
The public has been urged to wear masks in crowded settings, wash their hands regularly and avoid crowds where possible.
Authorities have also stressed vaccination as a preventive measure against seasonal influenza, particularly for people considered more vulnerable to complications.
The latest alert follows an increase in patient numbers at major public hospitals in Punjab.
