PESHAWAR: Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir said here on Thursday that provincial government established 176 quarantine centres with a capacity for 4,400 people.

Addressing a video link presser, he said that so far 422 people were quarantined across the province and 515 medical staffers were deployed at those centres to take care of them.

Mr Wazir said that provincial government also set up 0800-01700 helpline for coronavirus patients in the province.

He said that 314 telephone calls were attended during the last four days and only 206 of them were suspected of having coronavirus symptoms so they were referred to 30 district health officers.

CM’s adviser says 422 people put in isolation across the province

He said that public awareness and cooperation were keys to combat the coronavirus in the country. “Public’s all out support is more needed today than before and general people should be socially isolated and take precautions in the given situations,” he added.

Mr Wazi said that the number of suspected patients across the province so far was 694 including 121 people, who tested positive for coronavirus.

He said that 39 of the 43 samples taken from Mardan Manga union council were tested positive for coronavirus.

He said that besides the confirmed cases in Manga, two tested positive for the virus from Dera Ismail Khan’s quarantine centre and one each from Swabi and Swat.

Mr Wazir said that 159 persons tested negative and results of 317 tests were still awaited. He said that two persons recovered from coronavirus and three deaths were reported in the province.

In Upper Dir, two of the three suspected patients of coronavirus in Brawal area tested positive for the contagion.

An emergency meeting was called by the deputy commissioner to discuss the latest situation with health department.

All the three patients belong to Maarano area of Brawal tehsil. They were brought to tehsil headquarters hospital in Brawal on March 22 having chest infection.

Their samples were sent to Peshawar for test. The results of their tests were received on Wednesday. Two of them tested positive while one tested negative for the virus. Both of them have been kept in isolation centre in Brawal and the hospital has been closed for people.

Deputy Commissioner Khalid Iqbal Khattak ordered conducting tests of the relatives of the patients. He also ordered sealing of their village.

In Lower Dir, a total of 21 women, 24 men and 31 children were quarantined in their homes in different areas of the district.

Talking to journalists, the deputy district health officer, Dr Irshad Ali, said that the number of suspected cases was 10 and test results of four patients were negative.

He said that 1,707 people were screened at all entry and exit points of the district. He said that people of Dir coming from Karachi, Lahore and Kashmir were creating problems for the administration and health department as many of them hid their travel history.

All big and small bazaars in the district remained closed for the sixth consecutive day on Thursday. Deputy Commissioner Saadat Hassan along with DPO Abdul Rasheed and local journalists visited different markets in Timergara city.

He said that Section 144 was imposed and gatherings of more than five persons were banned. He said that all government departments were on high alert.

Mr Hassan along with Major Zahid and DPO also paid a surprise visit to the Chakdara entry point and directed the officials not to allow passenger vehicles to enter the district.

Meanwhile, the district sports officer, Bakht Shahzeb, visited different playgrounds in Saddo, Talash, Khungi, Timergara and Tangi Darra stopped children from playing there. He asked locals not to allow children to play during the partial lockdown.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2020