Coronavirus tally soars to 540 cases in Gilgit Baltistan

GILGIT: Overall 13 fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported from Gilgit Baltistan region of the country, raising the tally of virus-affected people to 540 on Sunday, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the region’s health ministry, most of the cases, eight of them, were reported from Gilgit area, followed by two cases in Ghanche and one each in Hunza, Astore and Nagar areas.

The ministry said that overall 368 people have recovered from the virus and total number of active cases remain upto 168 in the federally-administered area. “Four people have succumbed to the virus in Gilgit Baltistan,” said the ministry.

It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafeezur Rehman on May 11 said that they have demanded of the federal government to provide Rs 2 billion to fulfill their operational expenditures incurred while dealing with coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking regarding reopening of schools in the region, the chief minister said that any decision on reopening of schools would be made on the advisory of the health ministry after July 15.

“We will forward recommendations to the federal government regarding promotion of students in the next classes,” he said.

Hafeezur Rehman further announced that the GB government would pay 20 percent fees of students from low-income group. “30 percent of the fee will be paid by the parents while remaining 50 percent will be compensated by the concerned school,” the chief minister said.