China is set to send a walk through machine to ease COVID-19 testing in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal has said that the Chinese government was dispatching a “walk through technology” to Pakistan to test a large number of suspected people for the novel coronavirus.

“Walk through machine is very huge and it will arrive at Khunjerab Pass by next week,” he said while addressing a joint press conference with federal ministers in Islamabad on Thursday.

Development comes as nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients has crossed 1,100 with authorities are struggling to enhance their testing capacity to control the spread of highly contagious disease.
Currently, the nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients has crossed 1,100 with 422 cases in Sindh; 131 in Balochistan; 405 in Punjab; 123 in K-P; 91 in Gilgit-Baltistan; 25 in Islamabad; and one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with nine deaths.

The NDMA chief also said that the machine would enable the authorities to screen people in large number “where testing every individual is not possible”.

“We are also making arrangements to test people in different cities through this machine.”

Till April 5 all 30,000 doctors working at different hospital in the country will be provided with protective equipment box, he added.

“5,0000 diagnostic kits will be arriving in Pakistan by tomorrow [Friday],” he said, adding, “These equipment will be distributed in all provinces as per their requirement.”

Lt-Gen Afzal said those areas where number of coronavirus cases are high will be disinfected on the priority basis from tomorrow.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is going to announce two big initiatives soon to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

He said the one of the initiative is related to the teams of volunteers which the prime minister had said would be formed to distribute food items to the deserving people if the complete lockdown was imposed in the country to contain COVID-19.

“Another announcement is about the donations which many overseas Pakistanis want to donate.”

Umar went on to say that with the consultation of all provinces it has been finalised that all educational institutions across the country, which were initially closed till April 5, will remain shut till May 31.

Meeting will be held tomorrow to resolve the issue of transportation of food supplies and essentials, he said assuring that there is no imminent food shortage in the country. “There is no shortage of wheat in the country”

He also said that all political parties and provinces are working jointly to resolve the crisis.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, who was also present at the presser, said the government has decided with the consultation of religious clerics that mosques across the country will not be closed.

However, he said sick, elderly and minors have been advised to offer prayer at home.

“Congregational prayers will be limited allowing only those associated with the mosque, those who are healthy will be allowed. Minors and elderly won’t be allowed.”

Qadri said that religious leaders have a responsibility to create awareness and tell people to say their prayer at home due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Later in the day, the Sindh government imposed a ban on five-time congregational prayer, including Friday prayer, effective from tomorrow (March 27) till April 5 in a bid to contain the spread of contagion.

Speaking to media, State Health Minister Dr Zafar Mirza has said that the 21 COVID-19 patients have been fully recovered and discharged from hospital.