ABBOTTABAD: The local administration has said it will screen all 1,500 people, who reached Abbottabad district from abroad in the current month, for coronavirus.

According to it, more than 800 of those returnees have been tracked, while the whereabouts of the rest will be known soon.

According to the administration, the local hospitals have so far admitted 28 suspected Covid-19 cases but none of them have tested positive for the virus.

Deputy commissioner Mughees Sanaullah told reporters that the immigration department had shared the data of 1,500 people, who reached Abbottabad from different parts of the world in the last one month, with the district administration.

He said more than 800 of those returnees had been tracked and none of them had so far tested positive for the virus.

“Different teams tasked with tracking the remaining returnees will hopefully complete the job shortly,” he said.

The administration doesn’t have details of those, who travelled to Abbottabad and its surrounding villages from other parts of the country, especially Karachi, Hyderabad and Lahore.

The deputy commissioner said the district hadn’t reported any confirmed coronavirus case except a medical doctor, who reached native town of Swat from the US before travelling to Abbottabad on March 24.

He said the case was quarantined in his Jinnahabad house, while all places visited by him, including his street and ATM of a bank and a bakery on Mansehra Road were disinfected. The bakery was also sealed.

Meanwhile, a woman resident of Orush Colonywas shifted to the Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad, in critical condition over coronavirus fears.

She recently returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Ayub Medical College said a total of 28 suspected coronavirus cases had been admitted by the Ayub TeachingHospital but none of them had so far tested positive for the virus.

“Twelve cases have tested negative for coronavirus, while the results of the tests of the rest have been awaited,” he said.

Head of the Ayub Medical College’s Community Medicine Department Prof Salem Wazir told Dawn that the people could prevent coronavirus by practicing social distancing. He also called for the upgradation of health system and procurement of necessary equipment on war footing.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2020