GUJRAT: Fifty suspected patients of coronavirus whose tests were found negative, have been shifted to the quarantine centre of the Nawaz Sharif Medical College (NSMC).

They were shifted to the quarantine centre by the ambulances of the Rescue 1122 and as per standard operating procedures (SOP) these patients have to complete two weeks in isolation.

The establishment of two more quarantine centres was completed at social security hospital and mission hospital whereas process of setting up a 200-bed field hospital in sports gymnasium right in front of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital is under way.

The number of patients is on the rise despite the fact that the local authorities put harsh restrictions on the movement of people across the district. The administration on Saturday issued a warning to the people through announcements that they should not come out of their houses from 8am to 8pm during which only the goods transport could ply and no shop could be kept open except pharmacies.

An officials said people took the warning seriously and there was a minimum level of traffic on the roads. He said most of the infected people of Gujrat were overseas Pakistanis belonging mainly to Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium and Saudi Arabia and they did not restrict themselves to the houses and continued to socialise with people.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2020