ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said the current mortality rate in the country from coronavirus outbreak is ‘lower than feared’. “We had thought that our intensive care units (ICUs) will be overwhelmed by now but that is not the case,” the prime minister told a briefing on Covid-19 situation in the country. He said the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country is much lower than earlier predicted, adding that Pakistan’s situation in terms of coronavirus and related response is ‘much better’ than other countries.

He said the coronavirus relief fund will be used to help those individuals who have lost their employment during the outbreak. He said an SMS campaign will be started for the relief fund and the new project to support people out of jobs will require proof of unemployment. “For every rupee donated, the government will match it with Rs 4 in the fund,” he said, adding that the ‘Corona Relief Tigers Force’ has been informed to set up a desk in each union council to check who has been unemployed. “There are many white-collar workers who have been unemployed and who will not come forward,” he said. “We will use the Imams of mosques to know who the unemployed people are,” he added.