109 residents of Mardan UC under lockdown test negative for coronavirus

PESHAWAR: 109 residents of Mardan’s Manga union council which has been completely locked down for over 14 days after coronavirus cases surfaced in the area tested negative for COVID-19, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said on Saturday.

“More good news! Follow up random testing in Manga, Mardan shows 109 / 109 randomly selected people tested for #coronavirus – with negative results,” he tweeted.

“Manga has been under lockdown for 14+ days, people have worked with the govt to make the lockdown work, and the results show!”

More good news! Follow up random testing in Manga, Mardan shows 109 / 109 randomly selected people tested for #coronavirus – with negative results. Manga has been under lockdown for 14+ days, people have worked with the govt to make the lockdown work, and the results show! pic.twitter.com/2eRDvRZ1QO

— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) April 4, 2020

In a series of tweets, the minister said the provincial government is rapidly expanding its testing capacity for the contagion.

He said: “From an original capacity of 40, KMU [Khyber Medical University] is able to conduct 300 tests/day. HMC [Hayatabad Medical Complex] will be our second testing lab, having successfully carried out control tests; with the capacity of 100 tests/day.”

He said COVID-19 testing facilities will also be made available in Mardan, Swabi, Abbottabad, Swat, and DI Khan, as well as at Lady Reading and Khyber Teaching Hospitals of Peshawar. “Our public sector capacity should increase to 1000+ tests per day within April while ensuring quality & safety is not compromised,” he added.