Constant Spike in Pakistan’s Covid-19 Cases as PM Looks for Balance between Virus and Hunger - Android

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Constant Spike in Pakistan’s Covid-19 Cases as PM Looks for Balance between Virus and Hunger - Android

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The government cannot lock up 220 million people through a harsh curfew to control the spread of Covid-19, iterated Prime… Read More

The post Constant Spike in Pakistan’s Covid-19 Cases as PM Looks for Balance between Virus and Hunger appeared first on .

The government cannot lock up 220 million people through a harsh curfew to control the spread of Covid-19, iterated Prime Minister Imran Khan while briefing the media on Friday. He said that since it was impossible for an economically challenged country like Pakistan to go under complete lockdown, the country has to find a balance between coronavirus and hunger.

Meanwhile, Sindh began its special three-hour Friday shutdowns yesterday where all public movement came to a standstill between 12pm and 3pm. While cities presented a deserted look, upsetting scenes came from Karachi’s Liaqatabad where a mob assaulted police officials after they tried to stop a Friday congregation prayer in a mosque in the area.

The country has reported about 2,700 confirmed coronavirus cases so far with the daily spikes getting higher. Punjab remains the most affected region with its tally crossing 1,000, followed by Sindh, KP, Balochistan, GB, Islamabad, and AJK. The virus has claimed at least 40 lives in Pakistan to date.

In another development, PM’s aide on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Friday that as per Prime Minister’s instructions, the information ministry will now coordinate and brief the media on the coronavirus situation jointly with ISPR. A strategy will be developed to coordinate with the media, she said.

Here are the latest updates:

 

9.45

READ: Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s IT sector as Covid-19 lockdowns prolong

68% of IT companies in Pakistan are uncertain about retaining their current workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that number could jump to 89% over the next six months, according to an alarming report published by Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT and ITeS (P@SHA).

The findings come as part of a report (linked below) published by P@SHA in which it polled over 200 companies with a collective workforce of over 34,000 people.

Read the full story here.

 

9.30 am

Coronavirus can spread through talking or even just breathing: Experts

A prestigious scientific panel told the White House Wednesday night that research shows coronavirus can be spread not just by sneezes or coughs, but also just by talking, or possibly even just breathing.

“While the current [coronavirus] specific research is limited, the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” according to the letter, written by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, told CNN Tuesday that the idea of recommending broad use of masks in the US to prevent the spread of coronavirus is under “very active discussion” by the group.

Source: CNN

9.00 am

IHC allows govt to turn hotels into quarantine centres

The Islamabad High Court has given a nod to turning three- and four-star hotels into ‘quarantine centres’ where the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has planned to keep coronavirus patients.

Last month the NDMA had proposed to the government that the hotels in all major cities across Pakistan be converted into quarantine centres for suspected and confirmed coronavirus cases. Later with the federal government consent, the NDMA also issued directives to the management of different hotels on March 16 and March 28, to vacate the premises for the purpose.

The NDMA order to vacate the hotels was however challenged by three-star Hotel Margalla, situated in Islamabad.

Source: Dawn

2.00 am

Sindh reports 47 new cases

At least 47 new coronavirus cases were reported in Sindh taking its total to 830.

All of the new cases were of local transmission, 38 of which were reported from Karachi alone.

1.00 am

PTA rubbishes message about Covid-19 information sharing as fake

PTA has clarified that the message currently circulating in groups regarding a ban on posting information on coronavirus is fake.