KP allows private hospitals to conduct coronavirus tests

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday allowed the private hospitals to conduct coronavirus tests and extended the public holidays till April 5.

Sharing the details of a package approved by the provincial cabinet, Ajmal Wazir, adviser to the CM, said the cabinet had also decided that the markets and shopping malls will remain closed till April 10.

Meanwhile, the ban on weddings and other public gatherings will continue till April 30. However, courier services are exempted by any ban.

He said the government had also announced tax exemption to facilitate the business community and protect jobs with Rs17.5 billion reserved for wheat procurement.

Wazir said an amount of Rs8 billion had been approved for district hospitals to enable them by the urgent supplies, adding that the PPRA (Public Procurement Regulatory Authority) would not apply to the money.

The adviser said steps had been considered in detail to protect the medical staff at the hospitals, including screening the patients outside the premises so that those infected by the virus could not enter other sections like OPD.

He said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had jumped to 176 after the addition 53 during the last 24 hours. The tally of suspected cases stood at 716, Wazir added.