Pakistan has begun delivering some cash payments of about $70 each to its 12 million poverty-stricken families, or roughly 80 million individuals, to alleviate the impact of the coronavirus-related economic shutdown in the country.
The roughly $90 million social protection response to the coronavirus was rolled out Thursday as the national tally of coronavirus infections increased to nearly 4,500, with at least 63 deaths.
Officials acknowledged the relatively low rate of cases, however, is because of the limited testing capacity, saying they expect the numbers to grow exponentially in coming days.
Pakistan detected its first case in late February and has since tested nearly 45,000 suspected patients.
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“We anticipate our hospitals would come under immense pressure by the end of this month,” Prime Minister Imran Khan warned in nationally televised remarks Thursday.
In addition to uplifting traditionally ill-equipped hospitals, the Pakistani government has turned about 1,800 three-star and four-star hotels in the country into quarantine centers for COVID-19 patients.
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With train service suspended in Pakistan, railway officials have converted air-conditioned sleeper and business class cars into medical wards, with a total capacity of 2,000 hospital beds as part of preparation to meet national requirements in the event of a major outbreak.
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