ISLAMABAD/Rawalpindi: The capital administration on Saturday issued notices to all educational institutes, including religious seminaries, and marriage halls to suspend their activities for three weeks in the wake of the coronavirus alert.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat told Dawn that the notices were served on all educational institutes and management of marriage halls, banquets and marquees.

Assistant commissioners and magistrates served the notices which warned that strict legal action would be initiated over violation of the order.

Notices were also issued to management of hostels of educational institutes, including religious seminaries, and private hostels to get them vacated, the DC said. However, foreign students were allowed to stay in the hostels and the managements were directed to take precautionary measures.

Closure of weekly bazaars, zoo and parks also under consideration, says DC

The DC said the closure of Marghzar Zoo, F-9 Park, Lake View Park, Japan Park and weekly bazaars were also under consideration. Approximately, 25,000 to 30,000 people visit these parks and the zoo on the weekends, he added. The capital administration is approaching the health ministry for an advice, he added.

The administration is also considering partially closing shopping malls by suspending activities in their food courts and playing areas, he added.

Meanwhile, the capital administration also issued directives to all offices and officers concerned to observe instructions issued in the wake of the virus alert.

All schools, colleges, medical colleges, technical and vocational institutions, universities (both public and private), daycare centres, academies and tuition centres shall remain closed for three weeks. Besides, all examinations being conducted or to be held during coming three weeks stand cancelled.

Foreign students may be allowed to be accommodated in the hostels of seminaries but arrangements be made for their eviction as soon as possible.

All hostels (public or private) shall be vacated and students/trainees shall be asked to go home forthwith, the order said, adding cinema halls shall also remain closed for three weeks.

All official and private gatherings, including seminars, sports, cultural events and any other gathering shall not be held for three weeks.

The capital police also issued a 21-point advisory for its officers and officials.

Media coordinator for Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that a 30-year-old woman had been admitted to the hospital and put on a ventilator due to her critical condition.

“We have learnt that the woman had arrived from abroad to attend a marriage ceremony in her family. Initially, she was admitted to a private hospital but later when she was confirmed for the virus she was shifted to Pims,” he said.

“We have put her on a ventilator in the isolation ward but the condition of the patient is very critical,” he said.

“We have total five patients in the isolation ward out of whom three are confirmed and two suspected,” Dr Khawaja said.

When contacted, National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Maj Gen Dr Aamer Ikram confirmed to Dawn that the woman had tested positive for the coronavirus.

“It is believed that she was already infected before arriving in Pakistan and got sick after completion of the incubation period of the virus. All her family members, including the groom and the bride, have been quarantined,” he said.

When asked where the family had been quarantined, Dr Ikram said they had been kept on quarantine in their house for 14 days.

“We are lucky that so far there is no human-to-human transmission of the virus in Pakistan but still we suggest people to adopt social distancing. No country can put every suspect in hospital so it has been decided that in such cases the suspects would be advised to remain at their houses for self-quarantine,” he said.

Public gatherings stopped in Rawalpindi

On the directives of the Punjab government, all educational institutions, including seminaries, were closed in Rawalpindi while final papers of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Part-1 were postponed to April 5.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the divisional administration had issued a health advisory for the citizens.

He said people should avoid visiting public places unnecessarily. Public gatherings have also been stopped in the four districts of the division - Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum.

He said the administration was considering closing down those shopping malls where recreational facilities were provided to children such as playlands.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq canceled no-objection certificates issued for public gatherings in different areas.

All cinema houses, theatres, tuition centres and gyms have been closed till further orders. The deputy commissioner said an emergency had been declared in hospitals where the number of beds had been increased.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Horticulture and Tourism Mohammad Asif told Dawn that parks had not yet been closed in the province. However, he said, the government was considering closing them in a day or two.

In the meanwhile, he added, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) had been asked to provide hand washing facility at the entrance of the parks.

“Scanners will be installed outside parks to check temperature of the visitors,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2020