Eight more people contract coronavirus in Gilgit Baltistan

GILGIT: Eight more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Gilgit Baltistan region of the country, raising the virus tally to 364, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the health ministry of the Gilgit Baltistan region, currently the number of active cases in the federally-administered area stand at 95.

“Overall 266 people have recovered from the infection,” said the ministry as three people lost their lives while battling the virus in the region.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Gilgit Baltistan government announced to begin phase-II of the COVID-19 lockdown after only 56 active cases of the virus remained in the region on April 15.

During a press briefing from provincial ministers, the adviser to CM GB on Information Shams Mir said that they have decided to being phase-II of the lockdown after successful completion of the phase-I.

“The third phase will begin from Ramazan,” he said.

Law Minister Aurangzeb Advocate said that that only three cases of coronavirus were reported from Gilgit Baltistan on Wednesday, leaving behind 56 active cases.

Giving details of ease in restrictions, he said all government offices will be functional in the region from Thursday (tomorrow), however, the schools will remain close.

“The offices will remain open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm,” he said adding that businesses pertaining to fruits, dairy farming and others will remain open.

Major shopping centres, hair-dressers and mobile phone shops will remain close in the region, the minister said.