Gilgit-Baltistan reports another coronavirus case

F.P. Report

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Thursday reported another case of coronavirus taking the total number of cases to 21 in Pakistan.

According to spokesperson of the Gilgit-Baltistan government Faizullah Firaq, the patient — a 31-year-old resident of Shigar district — had a travel history of Iran.

He said that the patient was under treatment at the Skardu hospital, adding that the new case takes the tally to three in Gilgit-Baltistan.

On Wednesday, a 14-year-old from Skardu was tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The first confirmed case in GB was of a 45-year-old woman, who arrived from Iran a few days to Gilgit before she was diagnosed.

The number of COVID-19 confirm cases in country has reached 21 after the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government confirmed the 21st case in a 31 years old man who also had the travel history of Iran.

Advisor on health to the government Dr Zafar Mirza said the rising number of COVID-19 cases was no reason for panic.

“No need to worry the situation is completely under control. The federal and provincial governments are jointly making all-out efforts to protect the masses from coronavirus on war footing,” he tweeted.

Pakistan saw a sudden increase in coronavirus infections on Tuesday when a dozen new cases were reported across the country.

“This is not surprising. (The) Disease has spread to 106 countries. All 19 cases have been brought from abroad. All are stable. There is no evidence of local spread as yet. If we act responsibly we can avoid spread,” he wrote.

Six traffic controllers, who worked at a Karachi airport, have been placed under quarantine after they were suspected of having contracted the novel coronavirus, Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Abdus Sattar Khokhar said in a statement.

The suspected patients were posted at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and have been isolated as per the standard operating procedure, Khokhar said.

He said the directions had been given to screen all staff members of air traffic control posted in Karachi for any symptoms of COVID19.