Residents travelled to Iran to be screened CM-led task force to tackle coronavirus head-on

Staff Reporter Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the detection of a coronavirus case in Karachi is a serious issue, therefore, his government has decided to screen all those people who have travelled to Iran and even their family. “I have constituted a taskforce under me [CM] which will be meeting at 7pm every day to review the situation and the arrangements.” This he said while addressing a press conference just after presiding over an emergent meeting to evolve strategy to combat the Coronavirus here on Thursday at CM House. He said that the Coronavirus patient had visited Iran along with a group of 28 people. “We have established contacts with each and every one of the group and have got their names and phone numbers,” he said and added those 28 people were under surveillance. “I am glad that they are voluntarily cooperating with the health department,” he said and added “this support and cooperation are need of the hour.” The chief minister also disclosed that the father, mother and sister of the coronavirus patient have also been screened and fortunately no symptoms of the virus have been found among them. “Even then we have shifted them to hospital for quarantine and other necessary investigations,” he said. The CM said that some 8000 people of Pakistan have visited Iran from February 2, 2022, of them 1500 belonged to Sindh. Out of 1500 around 500 people to Karachi and rest of others to different districts of the province. He disclosed that union council wise the data of 1500 persons were being developed so that they could be kept in isolation in their respective houses. In case of emergence of coronavirus symptoms in any of them could be shifted to hospital,” he said. Murad Shah said that the educational institutions have been closed for two days followed by two closed holiday days- Saturday and Sunday, in this way the children of these 1500 people who returned from Iran would not be able to go to school and interact with other children. “During these four days the health department would be able to screen them,” he said. “I have requested Aga Khan Hospital to purchase all the required equipments, gadgets and medicines for the hospital and we would pay them,” he said.