Severe shortage of coronavirus testing kits, ventilators in province: Balochistan CM

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jamal Kamal Khan said on Monday that there was a "severe shortage" of coronavirus testing kits and ventilators in the province. 

The chief minister was taking part via video link in a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan on coronavirus. He briefed participants of the meeting about the facilities being provided to pilgrims in Taftan and Quetta. 

On the recommendation of the chief minister, it was decided to send pilgrims in Taftan to send them back to their respective provinces. A consensus was reached during the meeting that the pilgrims will be quarantined by provincial governments and tested for the virus. 

It was also decided during the meeting that pilgrims from Taftan will be sent back to their respective provinces tomorrow (Tuesday). 

The chief minister said that food, water, health and shelter facilities were available for pilgrims at Taftan. He said that traders and pilgrims made up the estimated 3,000 people who were quarantined in Taftan. 

Coronavirus tally crosses 130; Sindh reports sharp increase, KP reports first cases

The number of confirmed cases rose in Pakistan has risen to 137 after a sharp increase in cases was reported among pilgrims who have recently returned from Iran via Taftan.

According to the Sindh Health department, a total of 76 people from Taftan have tested positive for the virus in Sukkur, where they have been quarantined, while there are 27 cases in Karachi and one in Hyderabad.

Fifteen new cases have also been reported by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all of whom were pilgrims who had returned to Pakistan via Taftan.

Ten cases have been reported by Balochistan, four by Islamabad, three by Gilgit Baltistan and one by Punjab.

The national tally, subsequently, has risen to 137.