The Sindh government has decided to test all overseas passengers landing at the Jinnah Terminal Karachi and keep them in quarantine in accordance with the standard operating procedures.
In this connection, provincial government spokesman Barrister Murtaza Wahab posted on Twitter that 246 passengers had landed at the Karachi airport from Saudi Arabia, and 123 of them had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after screening them.
All these tests were conducted by the Sindh government, which has now started tracing the passengers to put them in isolation. It may be recalled that the federal government had lifted the ban on national and international flights, with the announcement that no passenger would be tested.
Keeping in view the COVID-19 emergency and the gravity of the situation, the provincial government, however, has decided to test each and every passenger landing in Karachi. These passengers would be kept in quarantine.
Travellers coming from others countries should be tested for the virus, which is not only in their interest but also in the interest of their family members and social circles, said Information Minister Syed Nasir Shah in a statement issued in this connection.
“We are already facing a spike in cases and the death ratio has increased from one per cent to 1.7 per cent, so there would be no compromise on testing.” He quoted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah as saying that clear instructions for screening each and every passenger have been issued to the provincial health department.