Staff Reporter
Karachi
Sindh government has decided to earmark Rs 100 million for taking measures to avoid an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the province after two suspected cases have popped up in the provincial capital Karachi. The provincial cabinet meeting to be chaired by the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by provincial ministers and officials will give nod for setting aside the amount to deal with the virus prevention measures.
The cabinet meeting would also mull over changing the dress code of the police force in the province while lawmaking on the water issues in the province is also included in the cabinet agenda. The meeting would also decide regarding the purchase of wheat in the province and establishment of a university in Mirpurkhas.
The government of Sindh has received a new list of the pilgrims recently returned from Iran, official sources said. Federal agencies have dispatched new list of 13000 people to provincial governments who recently returned to the country. The new list has details of the persons returned from the neighbouring country to Pakistan. The list includes data of the persons including their identity cards, contact numbers and other details, according to sources. The funds will be used for procuring additional kits for testing samples for the virus, besides other precautionary measures. Currently, the Sindh government has 950 kits available, out of the initial 1,000 kits received from the National Institute of Health. The spokesperson added that the health department is also working on identifying a suitable facility, where patients can be quarantined in case the number rises.
Meanwhile, seven suspected cases who were tested for the virus on Tuesday all tested negative. There are no new cases reported in Sindh.
