Two more test positive as Balochistan’s COVID-19 tally reaches 233 cases

QUETTA: Two people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Balochistan province on Monday, raising the tally of coronavirus patients to 233, ARY NEWS reported quoting provincial spokesman Liaquat Shahwani.

“We have received 107 test reports today of which 105 tested negative while two of them were found carrying the infection,” he said.

He said that both of them contracted the virus through local transmission. “We have a total of 85 patients who contracted the virus locally,” the spokesman said.

He said that overall 134 people have recovered from the virus and one person died from it.

It is pertinent to mention here that 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.

Earlier, 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.