Steps against COVID-19 yielding positive results: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that timely and effective steps taken by the government to control the outbreak of the novel coronavirus were yielding positive results, ARY News reported.

Talking to Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Education MinisteShafqat Mehmood who called on him in Islamabad, FM Qureshi said that the world was hailing Prime Minister Imran Khan’ initiative of ‘smart lockdown’.

On the occasion, he underscored the need to ensure compliance of standard operating procedures during Eidul Azha.

Matters of mutual interest, COVID-19 situation, current political situation in the country and other issues were discussed in the meeting.

Earlier on July 17, coordinated efforts against the novel coronavirus were bearing fruit as Lahore had witnessed a 60 per cent drop in COVID-19 cases during the past one week.

According to a report issued by the Punjab Health Department, “Around 4,000 samples are being tested at eight government laboratories in the city against which around 200 people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 daily during the past week.”

In June, over 1,000 people were being tested positive for COVID-19 daily in the city, the report had read.