Coronavirus suspects’ tests, 11 declared negative in Karachi

KARACHI: The health department sent 12 coronavirus samples for lab test during the last two days on Sunday and Monday, of the 11 have been declared negative while the result of one sample is being awaited.

It is worth to mention here that eight samples of coronavirus suspects were sent for lab test and the result of all the eight samples have come out as negative. Four more samples were sent for lab test on Monday, of them three have been declared negative while the result of the fourth one is still awaited.

This was disclosed in the meeting of Taskforce on Coronavirus held here at CM House. The chief minister was told that the results of eight suspects sent for lab tests on Sunday had been declared negative.

Four fresh samples were sent on Monday of the three had been declared negative while one result would be declared during the next 24 hours. It was also disclosed that 2301 pilgrims had returned from Iran, including 681 via Karachi and 1620 via Taftan, Balochistan.

The health department has obtained their complete details and they are under vigilance. The chief secretary told the chief minister that he had contacted his counterpart in Balochistan for sharing details of the pilgrims coming from Iran via Taftan.

The Balochistan government has directed their home department to coordinate with the home department of Sindh. He added that both the departments would keep sharing details of the pilgrims kept in quarantine at Taftan and allow them to move to Sindh and other provinces.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to request the Balochistan government to hand over a certificate of health clearance to each and every person being released from the quarantine. It was pointed out in the meeting that some of the educational institutions had defied the government orders and opened the institutions on Monday.

At this, the chief minister instructed Commissioner Karachi and Additional IG Karachi to take actions against them and forward a detailed report in this connection. The chief minister said that the timely efforts being taken by his government had started producing positive results.

The Commissioner Karachi briefed the CM that during the last five-days 87 people had approached the control room of the Commissioner House. He revealed that not only people from metropolis and other divisions of the provinces were seeking guidance from his control room but people from other provinces were also calling there for seeking guidance. 

Murad Ali Shah was told that hand wash, sanitizers, and essential food commodities had also been provided to the quarantined families.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Sindh Mumtaz Shah, Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, Col Shabir Khan of Rangers and other top officials.