Khan warns of more burden on hospitals

QUETTA — Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday warned that the burden on the country’s hospitals will increase by end of April as the country’s healthcare system was struggling to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Addressing the media in Quetta during his day-long visit, the prime minister said Balochistan might not face a worsening situation due to its sparse population.

He said the federal government was trying to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to all doctors and medical staff to ensure their safety while treating coronavirus patients.

The prime minister said the distribution of Rs12,000 per household as financial assistance among 12 million deserving families would help mitigate the sufferings of poor masses affected by the lockdown.

“The whole country has been affected by the ongoing lockdown, but as the level of poverty in Balochistan is much higher than other parts of the country, I have come here today to discuss with the provincial government as to how we can help the poor people in the province,” he said.

In a meeting with the Balochistan cabinet and members of parliament, he said: “It is an unprecedented situation and as a nation we will confront it.”

He said there was a shortage of ventilators and testing kits worldwide but the government was utilising all its resources to import them on emergency basis.

The prime minister said the National Command and Control Centre for Covid-19 was in constant

touch with all chief ministers for effective coordination to control the spread of the virus.

PM to attend telethon

Prime Minister Imran Khan will hold a telethon at 5pm on Friday for donations for the Corona Relief Fund. The telethon will not only be broadcast live in Pakistan but also in Saudi Arabia, Canada, the US and Europe.

7 family members test positive

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said 92 more cases emerged in Sindh during past 24 hours, raising the provincial tally to 1,128.

In a video message, the chief minister said seven members of a family showed symptoms of the virus including a one-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl. The chief minister urged slum dwellers to ensure social distancing while collecting ration to prevent the spread of the virus.

He said 624 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours and 92 tested positive.

Punjab records 58 cases

Punjab reported 58 fresh cases of coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total number of Covid-19 patients to 2,224, a provincial health department spokesperson said. “As much as 700 quarantined patients are Iran returnees, 662 Tablighi Jamaat members, 68 prisoners and 794 are other citizens,” the spokesperson shared a breakdown of the patients.

No Good Friday events

Lahore’s Christian community has decided that it will not hold any Good Friday events today.

The decision has been taken in light of the government’s instructions for citizens to take precautionary measures against the spread of coronavirus. —