‘When we sleep, the virus sleeps too’: Pakistan cleric’s Covid-19 logic

The number of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan reached 1,35,702 on Saturday. Out of the total number of cases, 51,518 are in Sindh - the highest number of infections in the country.

An argument given by a cleric in Pakistan in battling the Covid-19 crisis is making the internet go crazy. In an undated clip, the cleric is seen telling the people to sleep more if they want to avoid getting the coronavirus disease.

Pakistan paramilitary soldiers and a police officers stand guard at a checkpoint of a restricted area to help to contain the spread of new coronavirus, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, June 13, 2020. Capital administration sealed few areas of Islamabad following the decision taken on the advice of the Health Department and epidemiologists after hundreds of cases were reported from these areas. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) (AP)

“Our doctors always recommend us to sleep more. The more we sleep, the more the virus sleeps. It won’t harm us. When we sleep it sleeps, when we die, it dies,” the cleric is heard saying in the video clip.

The footage was posted on Twitter by journalist Naila Inayat.

“Why he couldn’t tell this science before...!!” said a Twitter user Indian Mulgi.

“So, basically it’ll copy ur actions? It’s a Chiese virus, so it will copy. I hope ppl there don’t commit suicide after listening to this amazing theory,” tweeted @pari_tweets.

“Sir, which medical or scientific concept can define this logic,” said a Twitter user Dr Sarkar.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan reached 1,35,702 on Saturday. Out of the total number of cases, 51,518 are in Sindh, 50,087 in the Punjab province, 17,450 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 7,866 in Balochistan, 7,163 in Islamabad, 1,044 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 574 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

There are 820 hospitals with COVID-19 facilities in the country and nearly 9,000 patients are admitted across the country, while others are recuperating in self-isolation at homes, according to the country’s health ministry.

The government closed down nearly 1,300 hotspots, including several areas in capital Islamabad, on Saturday due to fast spreading of the deadly disease.

Meanwhile, Pakistan medical goods watchdog has approved the first indigenously made testing kit for the novel coronavirus.

Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that the kit was developed by the scientists at the army-run National University of Science and Technology (NUST).

The kit was approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) after it completed successful rounds of trials.