Coronavirus outbreak: Sindh officials recommend longer shutdown of schools

KARACHI: An emergency meeting of provincial health department on Tuesday recommended closure of educational institutions to the Chief Minister of Sindh amid emergence of nine new cases of novel coronavirus in Karachi, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The meeting chaired by Health Minister of Sindh Azra Pechuho has also decided to issue an advisory for ban on gathering at public places and immediately setting up coronavirus information desks at all hospitals across the province.

The health officials meeting which was attended by representatives of the health ministry, district health officers (DHOs) and representatives of major hospitals in the province, also decided to issue an advisory today for 14 days local quarantine.

The health department meeting also decided to inform the private hospitals on SOPs with regard to coronavirus positive cases.

The meeting while revisiting the government measures also discussed new strategy to tackle the emergency situation after new cases of coronavirus disease surfaced in Karachi.

The meeting was briefed that the Gadap hopital has been activated for isolation and coronavirus positive cases.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department on Monday said that five of the eight people who tested positive for the disease had flown back from Syria via Doha while the rest had returned from London via Dubai.

Overall 16 people have been tested positive for the virus in the country.

Speaking to ARY News, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said the people diagnosed with the infection flew back from London and Syria on March 5 or 6.

He said passengers arriving at the Karachi airport are being screened.

He said flights coming from Dubai are not subjected to screening as those coming from coronavirus hot-spot China and Iran.

The government is treating the matter very seriously and special wards have been set up in Karachi and other cities of the province for COVID 19, Shah said. “A hospital in Sukkur with 500 beds has been allocated for coronavirus patients,” the minister further said.

“All arrangements have been made for those coming from Taftan border at the hospital,” he said.