First COVID-19 testing kit approved by DRAP: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Friday approved the country’s first COVID-19 testing kit.

On a social media website Twitter, Fawad Chaudhry said, “With this new development there will be a significant reduction in our cost and we would also save a lot on the import bill”.

The minister  further wrote, “Congratulations to @Official_NUST and our brilliant scientists …you people have made us proud.”

Another landmark achieved…. DRAP has approved Pakistan first COVID testing kit, Congratulations to @Official_NUST and our brilliant scientists …you people have made us proud … this ll bring significant cost reduction of COVID tests also ll save huge import bill

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 12, 2020

The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) had developed 1.5 million testing kits, which were forwarded to DRAP for approval.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan has surged to 125,933, while the death toll stands at 2,459.

According to the National Command and Control Center (NCOC), more than 6,397 cases of coronavirus were reported while 107 people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours. As many as 40,247 patients have recovered from the disease, while the country is still witnessing a consistent rise in the COVID-19 cases.

There have been 47,382 cases reported in Punjab, 46,828 in Sindh, 15,787 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 7,673 in Balochistan, 6,236 in Islamabad, 534 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1,030 in Gilgit Baltistan. 

Out of a total of 2,459 deaths, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 632 deaths, Sindh 776, Balochistan 75, Gilgit-Baltistan 15, Punjab 890, Azad Kashmir 09 and Islamabad Capital Territory has reported 62 deaths.