Headlines 12pm: Lockdown likely in Lahore, Sindh appoints health secretary

Here are the headlines from SAMAA TV’s 12pm bulletin.

• In the last 24 hours, more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases were reported in Pakistan, taking total number of infections to 132,000. Over 2,500 people have died of the virus so far.
• The coronavirus is spreading rapidly across Islamabad, especially in Sectors G-9/2 and G-9/3, that are currently sealed. Sectors I-10/1 and G-7 have also reported major spikes in cases.
• Lahore has become a coronavirus epicentre. The government might impose a two-week lockdown in the city. WAPDA House has also been closed over coronavirus fears till June 21.
• A patient was charged Rs1.8 million for staying 13 days at a private hospital. SAMAA TV found that the patients were charged Rs23,000 for 1,800 gloves and a simple N-95 face mask was sold for Rs2,700.
• Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah has decided to increase the number of HDU and ICU beds at private hospitals across the province due to increasing COVID-19 cases. Kazim Hussain Jatoi has been appointed the new Sindh health secretary. He has replaced Zahid Ali Abbasi who was let go from his job over “careless behaviour”.
• Human trials for Actemra injections have been started at nine hospitals in Punjab. A total of 460 injections have been sent to the medical facilities.
• Prime Minister Imran Khan will head to Lahore where he will chair a meeting of the Punjab cabinet. The PM will be apprised on details of the provincial budget and the steps the government is taking to stem the coronavirus’ spread. He’ll also hold meetings with Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.
• The PTI government unveiled its second annual budget in the National Assembly. The condition to show CNICs on purchases above Rs50,000 has been increased to Rs100,000 while pensions of the retired government employees have not been increased in the budget.
• PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif have rejected the budget. They claim the budget gives relief to mafias instead of the public.
• The Federal Investigation Agency has formed a joint investigation committee to look into the PIA plane crash in Karachi’s Model Colony. The team will begin its investigation at the Karachi airport where it will question PIA and CAA staffers.
• Pakistan has announced the 29-member squad that will travel to England for three Tests and three T20Is. Nineteen-year-old Haider Ali, and Sarfaraz Ahmed have been included in the squad.
• Pakistan is observing the eighth death anniversary of Ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan.

from Coronavirus – SAMAA https://ift.tt/2An2Taz