Educational institutions report 406 Covid cases

4,327 tests conducted in schools, colleges, universities

QUETTA:

Balochistan educational institutions have reported 406 cases of the novel coronavirus since the opening of schools earlier this month on September 15.

“The provincial health department conducted over 4,237 tests in schools, colleges, and universities of the province,” corona cell spokesperson Waseem Baig said in a statement.

The provincial government had decided to conduct tests in all government-run schools, colleges, and universities. “Testing labs have declared 3,831 tests as negative in educational institutions,” Baig added. “The Balochistan government had closed over a dozen schools and colleges in the aftermath of coronavirus test results.”

Commenting on the development, the provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said, “We will close every educational institution if it reports more than two cases.”

He added that the government has also formed three-member committees on district levels to ensure implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

It is pertinent to mention that Balochistan has confirmed 14,838 coronavirus cases so far. Most of the cases reported from Quetta, the provincial capital.

“We want to improve the testing capacity”, Shahwani further said. “The government has also decided to establish laboratories at the divisional levels to reach the maximum number of patients.”

Sources within the health department said 13,455 patients have recovered from the virus in Balochistan up till now. “Most of the recovered patients had isolated themselves at home.”

The health department has conducted more than 93,000 Covid-19 tests in Balochistan since the outbreak of the pandemic. Most of the tests were conducted in Quetta and neighboring districts.

The corona cell spokesperson deeply regretted to inform that the virus has caused 145 deaths in the province. “A majority of aged people have become victims of the deadly virus in the province.”

Baig added that the recovery ratio is high in Balochistan as compared to other provinces though.

He also highlighted how the number of patients continue to increase in the province recently as compared to the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2020.