CM's Task Force on Coronavirus told: 11 samples out of 12 declared negative

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of Taskforce on Coronavirus at CM House on Monday. During the meeting it was disclosed that the health department sent 12 coronavirus samples for lab test during the last two days, Sunday and Monday, of them 11 have been declared as negative while the result of one sample is awaited.

It may be noted that eight samples of coronavirus suspects were sent for lab test on Sunday 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 fourth one is still awaited.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Mumtaz Shah, minister health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, advisor law Murtaza Wahab, commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, secretary Home Usman Chahchar, Adl IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, secretary finance Hassan Naqvi, secretary health Zahid Abbasi, DG PDMA Salman Shah, Col Shabir Khan of Rangers, Lt Col Kashif Bukhar of 5 Corps, focal person Coronavirus Programme MB Dharejo, Dr Sara Salman of WHO, DD FIA Abdul rauf, Dr Khurram Chief Medical Officer of CAA, DIG South Sharjeel Kharal and others.

It was also disclosed during the meeting that 2301 pilgrims have returned from Iran, including 681 via Karachi and 1620 via Taftan, Balochistan. The health department has obtained their complete details and they are under observation.

The chief secretary told the chief minister that he has 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 allowed to move to Sindh and others 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 quarantine.

It was pointed out in the meeting that some of the educational institutions have defied the government orders and opened the institutions on Monday. At this the chief minister directed commissioner Karachi and Adl IG Karachi to take actions against them and report him.

The chief minister said that the timely efforts being taken by his government have started producing positive results. He thanked the health department, administration, airport authorities, civil aviation authority, FIA, Pakistan Rangers and Corps Headquarters, Sindh police and others for their coordinated and untiring efforts.

Commissioner Karachi told the chief minister that during the last five days 87 people have approached the control room of commissioner House. The callers were given necessary counselling but none of them had travel history of Iran or China. He disclosed that not only people from Karachi and other divisions of the provinces were seeking guidance from his control room but people from other provinces were also calling there for guidance.

The chief minister was told that hand wash, sanitizers, essential food commodities have also been provided to the quarantined families. They have also been provided medicines arranged through hospitals and philanthropists.