Medical emergency declared in Gilgit Baltistan to contain coronavirus spread

GILGIT: The Gilgit Baltistan government on Thursday declared a medical emergency to contain the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the region, reported ARY News.

A spokesperson for the government, Faizullah Faraq said thus far 1,394 people have been screened for the presence of the deadly disease. He added 619 pilgrims are expected to arrive soon.

The spokesman said ensuring screening of people at international borders is the responsibility of the federal government.

A 31-year-old man in Shigar district of Gilgit Baltistan tested positive for the coronavirus earlier today.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson, the 31-year-old man had visited Iran and tested positive for the disease today.

This took the total number of confirmed cases in Pakistan to 22 and three in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Two more cases of novel coronavirus were reported at the Pak-Afghan Torkham border on Thursday.

One patient was a Pakistani national and other an Afghan national, who was sent back to his country, after detection of the deadly virus.

Since the start of the outbreak in late December, more than 115,000 people worldwide have contracted the coronavirus disease, resulting in the deaths of over 4,000 people. Over half of the people who contracted COVID-19 have recovered, although the number of cases is rising rapidly, in particular, across Europe.