KP govt announces Rs1mn package for journalists died of coronavirus, death toll mounts to 25: Ajmal Wazir

PESHAWAR, Apr 11 (APP):Adviser to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information Ajmal Wazir here Saturday announced Rs one million as a compensation amount for families of those journalists who died due to coronavirus.

Talking to media persons here, the adviser said journalists community has made valuable services by keeping people’s inform and Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan has announced this mega package to help the families of journalists in case of their death due to coronavirus.

In the case of illness of journalists, he said government would bear all their treatment expenses.

Prime Minister Imran Khan during his recent has also appreciated KP government measures for control and prevention of coronavirus, he added.

Ajmal Wazir said total coronavirus confirmed cases were currently 656 and 131 patients were fully recovered, adding 39 new cases were reported during last 24 hours in KP.

The death toll has raised to 25 after death of three new patients in the province and conditions of 20 patients were critical, he maintained.

The Adviser said safety equipment worth Rs1.5 billion have been purchased for health workers.

He said 275 quarantine centres have been established having capacity of 18,000 persons across the province besides 110 isolation centres with a capacity to accommodate 3000 persons.

As many as 583 ventilators were available in KP and its number was being increased.

For backup, he said 9500 persons have made registration including doctors, medical specialists and paramedics.

Wazir said over 450 tests were being conducted on daily basis and it would be increase by more than 1000 by this month.

For emergency services, he said 638 regular and 1299 contract doctors have been recruited besides a Rs 32 billion package announced by CM KP for coronavirus mitigation programmes.

The Adviser said about 20,000 litres sanitizers were distributed free of cost in the province by the Civil Defense.

The Civil Defense has also distributed 1000 bottle sanitizers, 1000 masks and 100 PPEs among journalists in press club and union of journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Adviser said special attention was being given to protect the people from fatal coronavirus.

He said the health staff including doctors, nurses and paramedics are the real heroes of nation who were working on frontline in this critical time.