PESHAWAR: The gynaecology section of the largest public sector hospital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been closed after some doctors, nurses and other health staff were diagnosed with coronavirus.

According to the administration of the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar, the coronavirus tests of at least 35 staff members of gynaecology department, including doctors, nurses and others, came back as positive after which the section has been closed temporarily.

The hospital administration said that one assistant professor, 14 TMOs, three house officers, two head nurses, aya and sweepers of gynaecology section have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus. It said arrangements for quarantine of the affected staff are completed. It said all the family members of the infected health staff are also being tested.

The hospital administration further said that screening of all the staff working in the gynaecology section is underway and admitting any patient to hospital in such circumstances would be very dangerous. It said the decision to close the section has been taken under the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

During the closure of the gynaecology section, the building will be disinfected. The administration said all the wards and sections of the hospital will be disinfected with spray.

According to latest data issued by the Health Department, at least 177 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff members have tested positive for coronavirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The affected patients include 89 doctors, 48 nurses and 40 members of paramedical staff and Class-IV employees. The number of women affected doctors is higher as compared to male doctors. Eighteen of the infected lady doctors are serving in the LRH Peshawar.

On Monday, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) issued a statement according to which eight more nurses have been tested positive for coronavirus in KP.

According to YDA, 48 members of the nursing staff had been tested positive so far in the province, in which 35 are under treatment in different hospitals in KP.

Coronavirus cases in KP have mounted to 180 so far and Peshawar is the most affected district with 111 deaths, about two-thirds of the total deaths in KP. That is probably because patients from all parts of KP are brought to Peshawar and the infection spreads rapidly in the metropolis.