Fighting coronavirus: Pakistan Railways establishes quarantine centre in train coaches

• Six coaches have been used to set up the quarantine centre.
• The quarantine centre has the capacity of housing 50 patients at one time: Rasheed.
• Railways minister says train services will not start sooner as the country is in grip of coronavirus outbreak.

(Karachi) Minister for Railways Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that the railways has established a quarantine centre in six train coaches.

Addressing media briefing in Rawalpindi on Monday, he said that the quarantine centre has the capacity of housing 50 patients at one time.

Rasheed maintained that the patients will be kept in isolation in the said centre. "The railways has also made arrangements of a 450-bed hospital in case of emergency," he added.

Regarding commencement of train service in the country, he said that train services will not start sooner as the country is in grip of coronavirus outbreak.

He pointed out that the Railways Ministry has set up seven hospitals in major cities to facilitate the masses. He said that important decisions will be taken in the cabinet meeting to be held on March 31 (Tuesday).

Earlier, Pakistan Railways suspended all passenger train services till March 31 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan Railways announced that passengers who have advance booking on suspended trains will be accommodated in other trains of their choice on priority once the train service is resumed. In case of not availing ticket, they will get full refund after resumption of train operations.