COVID-19 cases in Balochistan may cross 300,000 in July: DG health
Dr Abro warns that number of positive cases in province are increasing, adding that situation may turn worse if people do not take it seriously
May 07, 2020
QUETTA: If lockdown restrictions are not followed, coronavirus cases in Balochistan will cross 300,000 in July, warned Balochistan’s Director General of Health Department Dr Saleem Abro Thursday.
Addressing a news conference, Dr Abro said: "I am warning you that if safety precautions are not followed then the coronavirus cases may surge to 9.5 million by December,”
He said that there has been a rise in locally transmitted cases throughout the province, saying that the situation might turn worse if people don't take the coronavirus seriously.
About the measures being taken to curb the infection, Dr Abro said that the province was conducting 700-800 tests daily. "We have two PCR machines and young doctors have been provided PPEs," he said.
He said that senior doctors in the provinces were also getting affected by the coronavirus. Dr Abro pleaded with the public to heed safety precautions to keep themselves out of danger.
Balochistan govt extends lockdown till May 19
On Tuesday, the Balochistan government extended the ongoing lockdown for 15 more days in view of the mounting coronavirus cases across the province.
Balochistan government Spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming rate and in order to stem it, effective measures such as social distancing and isolation should be practiced.
He said that the provincial government is extending the lockdown until May 19.
The Balochistan government had earlier warned that it would extend the lockdown due to the rise in cases.
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal had said that the number of locally-transmitted cases in the province were increasing slowly but that lockdown restrictions could only be eased if people cooperated with the government.
It was through random testing that the Balochistan health department learned that the locally transmitted cases had increased, he said.
"Our testing capacity is improving so we're conducting more tests," Kamal had added, stating that a lot needed to be done to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
