Balochistan reports 25 coronavirus cases during 24 hours: Liaquat Shahwani

QUETTA: Two more coronavirus cases have been reported in Balochistan, bringing the virus tally to 305 in the province, ARY NEWS reported quoting provincial government’s spokesman Liaquat Shahwani.

He said that during the past 24 hours, 25 people have tested positive for the virus and of them 24 were locally affected from the infection.

He said that the province has currently 167 locally transmitted virus cases. “Overall five people have been killed from the virus while 142 recovered from it,” he said.

On April 10, the Government of Balochistan on Friday announced a special health allowance for paramedics working in public sector hospitals across the province.

According to a notification put out by the finance department, health workers serving in BPS-5 to BPS-14 will get Rs3,000 a month as Health Professional Allowance (HPA) while those serving in BPS-2 to BPS-4 will be entitled to Rs1,500.

On April 8, Finance Minister Zahoor Buledi had announced the Balochistan government’s decision to give a tax relief of Rs 1.5 billion amid lockdown due to coronavirus.

“It has also been decided to lower the duty on purchase of surgical equipment,” he said, adding that one per cent exemption was also approved for Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) bills.

We have already released Rs 760 million in terms of ration to be distributed in the provincial districts, he said.

The minister said the government is in the process of establishing 11 more laboratories to expedite Covid-19 testing process.