ISLAMABAD, MAY 12 (DNA) – The World Health Organization will provide training to 100,000 Pakistani health workers to cope with coronavirus.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the WHO and Pakistan in Islamabad.

Later, PM’s aide on health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed that WHO representative Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala signed the agreement to train Pakistani health workers.

“Frontline paramedical staff and doctors are heroes of the nation and the government accords top priority to facilitate them,” Dr Mirza said.

At least a dozen doctors have died and hundreds of medical professionals have contracted coronavirus while performing their duties in various health facilities.

The virus has so far killed 706 people while the total number of known cases has reached 32,373 in Pakistan.=DNA

============

KARACHI (Dna) – Sindh Education and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani on Tuesday said that the schools across the province will not open from June 1.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Tuesday, he said that the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) had announced that the schools around the country will remain closed till July 15.

The provincial minister said that the students upto class 8 would be promoted to next class on the basis of the performance of the previous year.

“We are in no position to reopen schools,” he said and added the school opening date will be announced later.

Ghani went on to say that the decision regarding the board examination will be taken after consultation with the federal government.

He said: “We are aware of the problems of the students and we will not take any decision which would increase the problems of students.”

On Thursday, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said that the educational institutions will remain closed till 15 July.

In a media briefing, after National Coordination Committee meeting regarding COVID-19, in Islamabad, he said that all the board examinations have been cancelled and students will be promoted to the next class and they can get admission in colleges and universities on the basis of their previous result. For example, a student can get admission in a university on the basis of his 11th class result.

Earlier, the federal minister said that the government is considering to start Radio Education program to expand the distance learning project to far flung areas of the country.

Mehmood said the federal government would strengthen the Tele education system by including feedback mechanism to facilitate the students, moreover online education for higher classes would be more improved with the passage of time.

Responding to a question, the minister said the National Coordination Committee would take the final decision regarding reopening of educational institutions after prime minister Imran Khan’s approval.

”I think it is not possible to open school now, pandemic would likely to hit its peak in May as the experts have predicted so,” he said.

Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf promised with the nation to clean the national politics from corruption, National Accountability Bereau(NAB) was an independent authority, he added.

LAHOE (Dna) – Corona Advisory Group on Tuesday urged the government to strictly enforce SOPs as ignoring SOPs in markets and shops has worsened the situation and cases will increase by Eidul Fitr.

The Corona Advisory Group has sounded the alarm, saying caution and strictness are the only way to avoid Coronavirus, adding that staying at home with COVID-19 symptoms and not getting tested increases mortality, while the opening of the market has increased transmission.

On the other hand, University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram has warned that the number of cases may increase till Eid and the government may have to go for a tough lockdown again after Eid.

Professor Dr Javed Akram said that the market and shops should be chlorinated twice a day and the situation could worsen if distance isn’t kept, adding that the markets are causing the virus to spread.

He said elderly people can be infected at home if someone becomes a carrier of the virus, adding that the number of pandemic cases would continue to rise till July.

RAWALPINDI, May 12 (DNA):Around 4242 coronavirus suspected patients so far have been brought to the quarantine facilities of the district, out of which 1068 cases were tested positive who were provided the required treatment and 257 discharged after recovery.

According to daily situation report issued by Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) Punjab ,376 COVID-19 confirmed patients were admitted in different hospitals of the city including 145 belonged to Rawal Town, 70 Potahar Town, 91 Rawalpindi Cantt, 25 Gujar Khan,32 Taxila, 5 Kahuta, 3 Kalar Syedan and 5 from Murree,” he said.

“The result of 2623 suspects were tested negative while reports of 656 still awaited,” he added.

The DPR said that 380 patients were quarantined in isolation at homes while 257 discharged after recovery.

“ 55 coronavirus patients died in the district”,he added.

The residents were advised not to visit Kalyam Awan tehsil Gujarkhan, Dheri Hassanabad, Dhoke Paracha, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Mangtal, Ammar Pura, Zafar ul Haq Road, Satellite Town and Wah Cantt areas as number of positive cases were reported from these areas.

Meanwhile Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Sohail Chaudary informed APP that disinfection was being carried out in different areas of the district especially where suspected cases were reported. He advised the citizens to avoid crowded places, stay at home and follow safety measures issued by the government.=DNA

====================