Staff Reporter
Islamabad/Karachi/Peshawar
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan have jumped to 456 after Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa announced an increase in their provincial tallies.
Two hundred and seventeen patients out 456 have tested positive for the epidemic in Sindh, 78 in Punjab, 23 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 81 in Balochistan, eight in Islamabad and 24 in AJK/Gilgit-Baltistan.
On the other hand Pakistan Railways, on Thursday, decided to suspend the operation of 12 trains to limit the spread of the coronavirus. This will be implemented from March 22.
Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that for now, 12 trains are being stopped but if the need arises, that number could rise to 20 trains from April 1. Passengers who have booked tickets in advance will have the options of getting a full refund or taking an alternate train, he added.
The trains that have been suspended include Khushal Khan Khattak Express, Akbar Express, Sindh Express, Shah Latif Express, Rohi passenger train among others. Earlier, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the operations of eight trains will be discontinued from March 25 and the decision has been taken on the Sindh government’s request.
On the other hand, Pakistan on Thursday closed the Wagah Border in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 cases in the country. According to the notification issued by the interior ministry, the Wagah border will remain closed for 2 weeks.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen said that test was conducted on 384 people of which 78 cases have been confirmed. The minister said that the patients who have been tested positive of novel coronavirus have been separated, adding that 80 percent of people will recover with Panadol.
Dr Yasmeen said that currently four patients suffering from coronavirus are undergoing treatment at Mayo Hospital in Lahore and they are recovering, while two cases from Gujrat have also been reported.
In a wake of preventing the spread of coronavirus, the Punjab government on Thursday directed to open grocery stores and pharmacies for 24 hours across the province.
Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has advised members of the Senate to donate one month salary to make the government financially strong to fight against coronavirus. He said that it was their social and moral obligation to step forward and contribute towards a cause, said a statement issued here Thursday.
Government spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan has advised the public against hoarding food and other products. Addressing a presser alongside state health minister Dr Zafar Mirza and the DG ISPR, she said there is no shortage of food or items of essential use in Pakistan.
Awan said the government will launch a ‘financial stimulus package’ to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus on people, especially daily wage workers. Awan said the federal and provincial governments and all institutions are working “in complete harmony” to fulfil their duties regarding fighting the disease.
State health minister Dr Zafar Mirza said social distancing can help control the spread of COVID-19 in Pakistan. He urged people to visit hospital OPDs alone if they are sick. On the federal level, only one family member will be allowed to accompany a patient, Mirza announced.Mirza said there is no need to be “obsessive” about the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan, which has been steadily rising. He said the current situation is “dynamic” and numbers will keep rising while people also recover from the disease.Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar said that Pakistan Army was fully active to contain the spread of
novel coronavirus. Addressing newsmen, he said that the trust of people is the asset of Pakistan’s armed forces, adding that everyone will have to act responsibly. He said, Pak army was working with the civil institutions and utilizing all the resources to help quarantine.Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said that Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has directed the formation for help and medical facilities of all three armed forces have been prepared.Iftikhar said Pakistan Army scientists are researching and manufacturing personal protection equipment, face masks and hand sanitisers.He also said Rangers personnel are assisting civil administrations with the security and management of various quarantine camps set up across the country. Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar announced that measures are being taken to make the armed forces’ medical facilities available for an “extreme emergency” situation.He said a load management of patients is taking place and only elective surgeries are being performed at the facilities so that they can be used during emergencies.Meanwhile, a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and attended by the Corps Commander Karachi, Chief Secretary and Secretary Health among others, decided to distribute two million ration bags across the province.
The rations bags will be stuffed with rice, wheat flour, ghee, sugar, tea, pulses and spices. The meeting also decided to establish a field hospital and isolation centre for Covid-19 at Expo Centre Karachi in collaboration with the armed forces. It was decided that the teams of the government and the corps commander will work in tandem. The Sindh government team will be headed by provincial education minister Saeed Ghani, while Brigadier Samee will lead the team of the Corps Commander Karachi.
Chief Minister Murad Ali told meeting that the coronavirus could be halted with minimum travel and continued screening adding that Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea have controlled the rapid speed of the virus infection.
He called for ban on big gatherings and imposition of strict quarantine. “In Sukkur 151 people arrived from Taftan diagnosed positive.” Across Sindh 788 tests were conducted and 60 of them found infected with the disease, he said. Murad Shah told the session that a third patient has recovered from Covid-19 in Sindh, which is a good omen.
As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported four more cases of the Corona Virus Thursday, the confirmed COVID-19 cases in KP rose to 23 from 19 forcing the government to go for more precautionary measures including locking down of many localities and deciding to close down offices except for those of essential services.
