KARACHI:A batch of 300 pilgrims have left Taftan on Saturday evening for Jacoababd and the second batch would leave on March 10 and all of them would be kept in quarantine in Sukkur.
This was disclosed in the meeting of 10thTaskforce on Coronavirus held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here on Saturday. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Pechuho and other officials.
Secretary Health Dr Zahid Abbasi told the chief minister that he had sent four samples for coronavirus test, and all of them had been diagnosed as negative. Of the four suspects, one was from Karsaz, other from Old Sabzi Mandi, third one from district East and the fourth one belonged to Karsaz.
The first patient has recovered completely and has been discharged from the hospital while the two other patients were also recovering fast. A sample of coronavirus suspect of South district has been sent for the test.
The chief minister was told that the Sindh government had conducted 100 tests till Saturday, of them 97 were diagnosed as negative while three were positive, and one of them had been cured and released from the hospital.
The meeting was told that 282 pilgrims who returned from Iran had been put in quarantine at their home, of them 17 pilgrims would complete their isolation period on Saturday (today), five on March 8, 30 on March 9, 63 on March 10, 25 on March 11, 34 on March 12, 66 on March 13, 11 on March 14, 11 on March 15, two on March 16, five on March 17, 12 on March 18 and one on March 19. During their isolation they are checked off.
The chief minister was told that 300 pilgrims had left Taftan for Jacobabad today (Saturday) at 6 pm. Arrangements for their accommodation had been made in Sukkur. The Commissioner Sukkur who was on video link in the meeting briefed the chief minister about the facilities made available at the pace where the incoming pilgrims would be kept in isolation.
The chief minister directed the commissioner to make best residential arrangements for them and provide them three-time healthy food, including team whenever they want and fruit and other refreshments. “I want you to keep them happy and content,” he said.
The commissioner said that he would receive the pilgrims and provide them all the facilities, including cleanliness etc. The chief minister also directed the DHO Sukkur and his special team constituted to check the in-coming pilgrim to take the samples of the suspects regularly and send the same to Aga Khan for lab test.
The commissioners said that he had made accommodation arrangements for 500 pilgrims at Sukkur and arrangement for another 300 would be made within next two days. The chief minister was told that another batch of pilgrims would leave Taftan for Sukkur on March 10, 2020. Therefore, arrangements for them may also made accordingly.
DG PDMA Salman Shah told the meeting that he had already sent beds, cushions, bed sheets and necessary utensils to Sukkur for the use of the pilgrims.
The WHO representatives suggested that some counsellors might also be arranged for counselling of the suspects at Sukkur camp. The chief minister directed the DHO Sukkur to check all in-coming pilgrims when the reach at the camp.
The chief minister also directed airport authorities to check the travelers coming from Italy and Korea at airport and share their reports with the health department.
The chief minister said that in Iran, 1000 new cases of coronavirus had emerged which was alarming for them also. “Our precautionary measure as advised to the people of Sindh must be continued,” he concluded.