Coronavirus: Sindh CM chairs health emergency meeting

KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh on Thursday chaired an emergency meeting after the first confirmed case of coronavirus surfaced in Karachi, ARY News reported.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in the meeting of health officials directed for screening tests of 1500 people recently returned from Iran.

The chief minister was informed that 1500 recently returned people from Iran have been identified.

Secretary Health informed that a group of 28 people, which were accompanied with the patient of coronavirus was in contact with department officials and extending cooperation.

The chief minister directed for shifting concerned people to isolation and arranging quarantine for them.

CM Sindh also directed for issuing a video message to concerned doctors with regard to the health emergency.

“Don’t scare or panic, your government will take care of you,” the chief minister said in a public message to the people. He also appealed general public to extend voluntary cooperation in the emergency situation.

The chief minister also directed Sindh health authorities to launch a public awareness campaign over the situation.

Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab has said that the government has set up help centres across the province to meet the emergency situation.

He has advised the people to contact with concerned officials in case of need, over helpline numbers 02199206565 and 02199203443.

It is to be mentioned here that the first case of COVID-19 emerged in Karachi, a citizen who flew back from Iran along with two of his friends.

The second patient, identified in Islamabad, was shifted to quarantine in the capital’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

The departments of Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) and the Department of Health have been put on high alert after the virus was first diagnosed and confirmed.