Nearly 175,000 Pakistanis denied coronavirus testing for failing to meet criteria: report

Nearly 175,000 people in Pakistan have been denied testing for coronavirus for failing to meet the criteria for such examinations, a media report said on Wednesday.

Pakistan has registered over 6,245 coronavirus cases and more than 112 deaths due to the deadly viral infection.

At a time when COVID-19 cases are rising in the country, there remain limited numbers of tests and the capacity of laboratories is under strain.

According to a report in the Urdu newspaper, 'Daily Jang', some 250,000 people reported at government hospitals across the country for coronavirus testing.

"However, only 74,000 suspected cases were tested, out of which around 6,000 people were tested positive for the novel coronavirus," the report said.

Citing sources, it said,"The health ministry had to refuse examination for some 175,000 people as they did not meet the criteria set for the tests."