GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman on Friday stated that GB had the best variety of coronavirus sufferers within the nation.
He stated that out of a complete of 633 suspected coronavirus sufferers, 91 had examined constructive for the virus whereas outcomes of 332 had been awaited.
The chief minister leveled out that there was just one coronavirus testing centre in GB the place solely 15 sufferers may very well be examined in 24 hours.
He appealed to the military chief to assist set up extra coronavirus testing laboratories in GB. Mr Rehman stated solely 9 ventilators had been accessible in GB and urged the federal authorities to offer 200 ventilators.
A well being division official instructed Daybreak on situation of anonymity that there have been many coronavirus sufferers in Nagar district, the hardest-hit space in Gilgit-Baltistan, however many couldn’t be examined. Fifty samples had been despatched for testing from there and 34 of them had been discovered to be constructive.
Greater than 100 samples of suspected sufferers had been despatched to Gilgit two weeks in the past and their outcomes had been nonetheless awaited. “After getting the results we will able to trace their contacts for further tests,” he stated.
The official stated it was alarming that out of 34 samples within the district, 14 concerned native transmission of the virus. The native hospitals don’t have any testing or screening services to take care of such circumstances, he added.
Mudassir Hussain, a neighborhood resident, instructed Daybreak that over 100 Zaireen arrived from Iran in February with out screening. He was of the opinion that the folks contaminated in Iran had unfold the virus among the many native inhabitants. He criticised the federal government for delaying testing of many locals.
A video clip of Zohair Ahmed, a regionally contaminated affected person from Nagar Khas, went viral on social media through which he stated he was affected by the illness and “unfortunately my four other family members have also been identified as coronavirus patients”. He suggested the native folks to remain dwelling, get examined for coronavirus and take applicable precautions.
With a inhabitants of 70,000, Nagar district is the hardest-hit district within the area. Out of 107 coronavirus circumstances in Gilgit-Baltistan, 34 have been detected within the district.
The district administration sealed two villages after emergence of recent circumstances. Deputy Commissioner M. Shahrukh Cheema stated it was alarming that out of 34 coronavirus sufferers, 14 had been contaminated regionally as that they had no historical past of travelling overseas.
He stated GB Scouts and police personnel had been deployed to restrict folks’s motion. “We are facing many issues in implementing precautionary measures because it is difficult to convince people to suspend religious and other gatherings,” he stated.
Printed in Daybreak, March 28th, 2020
