Murad urges people to observe three-day voluntary self isolation

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has advised the people of the province to spend the next three days under voluntary isolation for the sake of safety and security.
"During the next three days, offices are completely closed, hotels are not offering dining in services, sports and games are off so there is no need to come out onto the roads and streets just to roam about." This he said while presiding over the 23rd meeting of the Task Force on coronavirus here at the CM House.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Dr Azra Pechuho, Saeed Ghani and Syed Nasir Shah; Adviser Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Home Usman Chachar, Brigadier Sami of Corps 5, representatives of the WHO, the Civil Aviation, Airport, the VC of Dow University, Prof. Saeed Qureshi, Prof Dr. Bari, Prof Dr Faisal, Focal Person MB Dharejo and others.
Shah said that the people of Pakistan were fighting against COVID-19 bravely. "Time has come to demonstrate a responsible attitude by observing voluntary social distancing, and it is only possible when we all prefer to remain at our homes," he said.
He also said that he was surprised that during these holidays some people were hosting receptions and family gatherings at their homes. "This is not a time for social gatherings but for social distancing," he said.
Secretary Health Zahid Abbasi told the chief minister that 2,017 samples have been taken from Sukkur (Sukkur-I & II batches) and 83 from Larkana. Out of them 1,294 were diagnosed as negative while 238 as positive. The result of 402 of Sukkur-II and 83 of Larkana are pending.
In Karachi/other districts, 1,230 samples were tested. Out of them 98 were diagnosed as positive. In this way the tally has risen to 249. It may be noted that in the second batch another 402 pilgrims have returned from Taftan and have been kept at Sukkur while 83 have also returned from Iran and being kept in isolation at Larkana.
The chief minister said that local transmission cases had become 51 and this was worrisome for him and everyone else who understood the gravity of the situation.
Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahalwani told the chief minister that 22 pilgrims who were going to Iran but due to COVID-19 could not go there have returned via Lasbella and the DC West had received them. The chief minister directed the commissioner to get all those 22 people screened.
The Commissioner also briefed the chief minister on the setting up of quarantine and field hospital at the Expo Center.
The chief minister directed him to make necessary arrangements for toilets and resting place for the staff at the Expo Centre. He allowed necessary procurement of equipments, medicines, masks and other such items.
Suspects: The public sector hospitals in their daily report identified 1,874 suspects. Out of them 21 were tested. The private hospitals gave a list of 702 suspects of whom five had been tested.
Airport: The chief minister was told that 16 flights brought 3,710 passengers, of them four were deemed as suspects who were being kept in quarantine and their samples sent for tests.