Five test positive for corona in Swabi

SWABI/BAJAUR: Five members of the Tablighi Jamaat belonging to foreign countries have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.

The total number of the positive cases in the district has reached 15. Five patients have recovered while one person passed away three days back.

The first case in Swabi district was reported in Bada village, Gadoon Amazai, on March 26.

The officials said the total number of the Tablighi Jamaat members was 43 who were quarantined at Masjid Al-Qasim, Tablighi Markaz in Topi tehsil.

The district administration deputed security personnel at the markaz to monitor their activities.

Deputy Commissioner, Swabi, Shahid Mahmood said that the report was received from the National Institute of Health, Islamabad. He said that it showed that five members of the Tablighi Jamaat had tested positive.

They have been shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Chota Lahore.

The patients were identified as Ali Mohammad Ahmad hailing from Yemen, Noor Mohammad and Abedi from Djibouti and Noor Ahmad and Yousaf belonging to Iran.

OUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS FROM BAJAUR: The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases reached nine after one of the suspected patients reported positive for the coronavirus test in Khar tehsil of Bajaur district on Wednesday.

The result of a suspected patient identified as Shamraiz Khan, a resident of a residential colony near District Headquarters Hospital, Khar, was declared positive hence he was shifted to the isolation ward established for coronavirus infected patients. The infected patient has recently returned to his home after spending some time in Tableeghi Jamaat in different areas.

Assistant Commissioner Fazal Rahim visited the locality where the coronavirus case emerged and sealed it as safety measure to contain the spread of fast-travelling viral infection.

Meanwhile, focal person for the coronavirus in DHQ hospital, Dr Fazlur Rahman told media that nine out of 25 suspected patients had reported positive for viral disease in Bajaur so far.

He said that five patients were under treatment at the DHQ hospital while one had been referred to a hospital in Peshawar because of his deteriorating health condition. He said that three coronavirus patients have recovered from the fatal infection.