ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: The health ministry, in collaboration with Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and different health institutes, has set up three Anthrax Crisis Centres (ACCs) in the federal capital.

A source told Dawn on Tuesday that these centres had been established at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and Islamabad Services Hospital (Poly Clinic).

He said special arrangements had been made at the centres to trace the deadly bacterial disease and give treatment to the affected people.

So far, only one suspected patient of the fatal disease had been under observation in Islamabad, but preliminary analysis proved that the case was negative.

A doctor said the disease, having main symptoms of fever with cough, was curable. “It can spread through breathing and inhaling the bacteria of anthrax, and can destroy the respiratory system of the victim within 24 hours”, he said.

The medicines, like Ciprofloxacin, Penicillin and Tetracycline, that are usually given to the patients, are easily available in the market at reasonable rates, he added.

The source said the health ministry had directed all local drugs manufacturing companies and stockholders to manufacture and stock maximum quantity of the three drugs to meet any eventuality.

Meanwhile, a contingency plan, jointly prepared by the army and the ICT administration, revealed that curfew could be enforced in the Capital if external and internal situation of the country got out of control due to US-Afghanistan war.

According to the plan, in case of any emergency, the army’s III-Brigade will take control of the Capital. Extra police force will also be called out in the city from various other areas, if necessary.

Similarly, all police personnel currently deputed on the security of diplomats, government officials and other important persons, will also be deployed in the city.

The plan said, in an emergency, special passes would be issued to the local residents. Likewise, car sticker will be given to the vehicle owners so that they can move in the city without any check.

The entire city can also be sealed and no one will be allowed to enter. Screening and search of people and vehicles can also be started, and the vehicles not carrying the special stickers will be prohibited to ply.

In another development, a source close to the ICT administration told Dawn that the Diplomatic Enclave had been declared a ‘no go area’ and people could not enter it without the permission of army and local police.

The source said chances of terrorism had increased in the country, specially in Islamabad, after the advent of Afghanistan war. However, the city administration was fully equipped to foil any such attempts, he added.