Balochistan CM House employee tests positive as tally touches 164

Among fresh cases of infections are two doctors, three govt employees

QUETTA: An employee of Balochistan Chief Minister House was diagnosed with coronavirus on Wednesday apart from five other people who tested positive, raising the provincial tally of the number of COVID-19 cases to 164.

Sources said that the employee has been isolated inside the CM House only. Apart from him, a resident of Quetta who returned from the Raiwind “tableeghi jamaat”, three government employees belonging to Loralai and two doctors also tested positive. These were categorised as locally transmitted cases.

On the other hand, a complete lockdown remained in force on the ninth day throughout the province to prevent the spread of coronavirus. All business centres, hotels and markets remained shut whereas the district administration sealed 69 more shops for committing violation of section 144 and arrested 46 people.

According to Balochistan CM Jam Kamal, 17 patients have returned to their homes after completely recovering and testing negative twice while 64 more patients who completed their fourteen-day quarantine period will be tested again in the next two days.



It is pertinent to note that the Pak-Iran Taftan border also remained closed for the 39th consecutive day and the Pak-Afghan border for the 31st day. Currently, there are 367 people living in three quarantine centers in Balochistan whose screening is underway.

Earlier this week, the Balochistan government announced forming a food security committee on the district level that will be responsible for the distribution of food to the poor and needy amid the coronavirus lockdown.

It will be led by the provincial chief secretary for agriculture and livestock who will be responsible for identifying and verifying the identity of the needy people and distributing food items amongst them.

In Quetta, a civil society organisation distributed ration to daily wage workers while maintaining the social distancing rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2020.