Pak PM plans roadmap to ensure uninterrupted food supplies as coronavirus cases rise to 1,664

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan plans to announce a comprehensive roadmap to ensure uninterrupted food supplies across the country, as the number of coronavirus cases rose to 1,664 on Monday, underlining that local transmission of the deadly virus is increasing.

The number of coronavirus cases has reached to 1,664, including 632 cases in Punjab, 508 in Sindh, 195 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 144 in Balochistan, 128 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), 51 in Islamabad and 6 in Kashmir.

So far 18 people have died, including 4 in the last 24 hour and 28 recovered, while another 11 were in critical conditions.

The epidemic is still spreading despite steps by the government. Advisor on health Dr Zafar Mirza said local transmission was increasing after government stopped all international flights.

Our patients include 8,083 pilgrims from Iran, 247 passengers from others countries, while local transmission is 29 per cent. But local transmission is increasing, he said.

Prime Minister Khan will soon announce a comprehensive roadmap to ensure uninterrupted food supplies across the country, his aide said.

According to Khan's advisor on information, Firdous Ashiq Awan, the Prime Minister will take people into confidence about delivery of ration and food supplies to deserving poor families across the country at their doorsteps.

She said the Prime Minister has advised Minister for National Food Security to ensure availability of food items, including flour.

Awan said due to the lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus, national economy is being affected and chain of daily use items has slowed down, which created fear of shortages.

She said there is no shortage of edible items in the country and the authorities will treat hoarders and profiteers with an iron hand.

Moeed Yusuf, advisor on national security, said that Railways operation would remain suspended and there was no plan to restart it soon. He also said there was no plan to open the international flights after April 4. The domestic flights will remained shut until decided otherwise.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chief Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal said new Labs were being set up to increase testing capability in the country. He said that more medical equipment would be imported from China in coming days.

A spokesperson for the Sindh health department said that the number of patients in Karachi alone rose to 222 with 33 new cases reported on Sunday and all the cases, the spokesperson confirmed, were of local transmission, Dawn newspaper reported.

Health experts appealed to the people to stay home and strictly adhere to basic hygiene measures to break the chain of coronavirus transmission.

On Saturday, the Pakistan government decided to keep its western borders with Iran and Afghanistan and eastern border with India closed for two more weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.