GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman on Wednesday said the region’s coronavirus testing capacity would be enhanced with the purchase of the medical equipment.

According to a press release issued here, he said necessary medical equipment was being purchased and rapid testing laboratories were being established in GB.

He said the region’s virus testing capacity could go up to 100 persons per day from the current 24.

Mr Rehman said the medical supplies donated by China would help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

He said medical teams across the region would be trained for usage of rapid testing kits and ventilators donated by China.

Fast testing is necessary in most vulnerable districts, he said.

The chief minister said the government was utilising all available resources to curb spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the chief minister also inaugurated the disinfection campaign in Gilgit on Wednesday.

On the occasion, he said his government would purchase 6,000 gallons chemicals to ensure spray in all the three divisions of the region.

Also, speaking at a press conference, GB Assembly deputy speaker Jaffarullah Khan, law minister Aurangzab Khan and information minister Shams Mir said four villages in Nagar had been declared the red zone.

They said locally-transmitted coronavirus cases were increasing in Nagar and demanded fast-track testing of the patients.

The GB government is trying its best to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the region within its capacity, however, the federal government doesn’t support it in this regard, they complained.

Meanwhile, the information department’s data showed that GB confirmed three more cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, increasing the tally to 187. Two were reported from Gilgit and one from Nagar.

GB has so far reported two deaths and four patients have recovered.

Test reports of about 100 are still awaited.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2020