ISLAMABAD: All hospitals, markets and nearby areas frequently visited by people in Islamabad were disinfected on Thursday as reported cases of novel coronavirus in the capital have risen to 25.

Hospitals which have been disinfected include Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM), Capital Hospital and Federal General Hospital.

Talking to Dawn, Pims Media Coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja said that spraying was started from Pims as Covid-19 patients were being kept there. “Currently we have 12 patients out of which two patients’ condition is critical,” he added.

An official from the district administration, not authorised to speak on record, said 30 water tankers, fire brigade and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) staff members participated in the washing and sweeping of roads.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmed, while talking to Dawn, said chemicals were purchased by the district administration for cleaning and sweeping of markets, hospitals, quarantine centres,pannah-gahsand other areas to protect people from getting infected.

He said, “Moreover, as the country can require ventilators, due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the Capital Hospital has made its four out of order ventilators functional.”

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2020