GUJRANWALA: The residents of Gujranwala have expressed their concern over a lack of coronavirus test laboratory in the district.

Gujranwala is the fifth large city of the country in terms of population but the residents are deprived of the basic facilities, say social circles. They demanded immediate establishment of a well-equipped laboratory that can handle coronavirus rush as well.

Chief Executive Officer Dr Farjad Butt told journalists the other day that the Punjab Health Department had decided to establish a coronavirus test laboratory in the city and spadework to the effect had begun.

The in-charge isolation ward told this correspondent that there were 10 coronavirus patients who were in a stable condition. They would be again tested after 10 days.

QUARANTINE CENTRES: The Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) is ensuring electricity supply to the quarantine centres in Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat and Jalalpur Jattan.

Gepco Chief Executive Mohsin Raza Khan told reporters that the company installed new transformer and poles within 24 hours and gave 70 connections to these quarantine centres. The Punjab government had ordered Gepco to manage the electricity supply for 650-bed Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat and Jalalpur Jattan quarantine centres.

A team installed three transformers for electricity supply in Mandi Bahauddin quarantine centre which has been established in the District Complex. The quarantine centres of Gujrat and Jalalpur Jattan have 200 beds each.

ARRESTS: A team of the Cantonment police on Wednesday arrested nine people for violation of kite-flying ban at Rahwali.

SHO Samiullah Khan got an information that people were violating the kite-flying ban and formed a team which arrested Zain Zia, Haroon, Arsalan, Anas, Shabbir, Arbaz Sarwar, Mirza Nadeem Baig, Mirza Bashir Baig and Mohsin Mughal.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2020