One more coronavirus cases reported in GB, taking tally to 92

GILGIT BALTISTAN: The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has risen to 92 in Gilgit-Baltistan(GB) after one more patient was tested positive for the diseases on Friday.

According to Secretary Health Gilgit Baltistan, Raja Rasheed Ali, that more than 2,065 coronavirus suspected people have returned to Gilgit-Baltistan since January and samples of 633 people had been sent to NIH Islamabad and Gilgit-based laboratories for testing of the coronavirus.

He said that reports of 311 people have so far been received while the result of 322 was yet to be established. He said that the disease has affected five districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Ali said that a total of 31 samples were sent from the district Astor for coronavirus test, out of which one was tested positive, 11 were tested negative while 19 samples were yet to be returned.

Likewise, four samples were sent from Diamer district, out of which three were tested negative while the result of one was yet to be received.

The secretary health said that five samples sent from Ghanche district had been tested negative and four simples from Ghizar district have also been tested negative. In the same way, of the 125 suspected patients of coronavirus from Gilgit district, reports of 28 people have been tested negative, 14 tested positive while 84 reports were yet to come.

He said that of the 20 suspected patients from Hunza district, five have been tested negative while 15 were yet to receive. He added that of the suspected 20 cases from Kharmang district Skurdu, five have been tested negative while 15 reports were yet to come.

Rasheed Ali said that of the 138 samples sent from district Nagar, 16 samples have been tested negative, 34 reported positive, while reports of 88 samples were yet to come.

He said that 51 samples sent from Shigar district, 23 were tested negative, 13 positive, while 15 samples were yet to be received. Similarly, of the 239 samples sent from Skardu district, 126 were tested negative, 22 tested positive while results of 91 samples were yet to come.

He said that full screening of all the pilgrims came from Iran had been done and the suspected persons have been kept at isolation facilities.

He said that the provincial government has established 1,131 rooms at quarantine centres in different hotels for the coronavirus victims, where all essential facilities including food are being provided.

He said that the first female patient of coronavirous  has been discharged form a hospital after her complete recovery, adding that two patients were serious condition.

The GB administration has decided to establish a 45-bed special COVID-19 hospital in main city and the hospitals will have all medical facilities including ventilators.

The Gilgit Baltistan government has also allocated Rs130 million to give necessary food relief package to 24,000 poor families in all districts.

Earlier, the Gilgit-Baltistan government had imposed a complete lock-down for two weeks to protect the people from deadliest coronavirus (COVID19).

According to GB Commissioner, Usman Ahmed, all petrol pumps had been closed from 25 March and the inter-provincial transport had also halted for the next two weeks.

According to him, that they have noticed that the people are not taking the coronavirus issue seriously and that is why the provincial government had decided to clam a complete lockdown across the region.

The official said that after the complete lockdown with the support of army, people now cannot move even from one Muhalla to another.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman said in a statement the provincial government had decided to open the Pak-China border at Khunjraab today to allow the delivery of medical equipment and relief goods sent by the government of China.

He said that goods shipped from China included five ventilators, two thousand masks, 0.2 million face masks, two thousand COVID19 testing kits and two thousand medical protective kits. Besides this, he said, 10 tonnes of necessary supplies were also being sent by the Chinese government for GB.

CM rejected the PM Imran Khan statement about shortage of food and petrol, CM added that GB has acute stocks of food and petrol.

He further said that the federal government has not taken any serious steps for the region against coronavirus despite several request to provides equipment for the test of the diseases.

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