Spike in coronavirus: Mansehra administration hints at complete lockdown

MANSEHRA: The Mansehra district administration on Monday said strict steps would be taken to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“The safety of citizens is supreme to us and if the current high coronavirus positivity rate persisted, a comprehensive lockdown could not be ruled out in the district,” Deputy Commissioner Qasim Ali Khan said at a news conference.

Flanked by the Deputy District Health Officer Dr Mohammad Siddique, he said the administration was on alert. He said if needed, it could hospitalise around 500 Covid-19 patients at King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, Elementary College Quarantine Facility and Type-D and rural healthcare facilities in the district. He said oxygen plays an important part in the treatment of for the Covid-19 patients and we can hospitalise around 500 patients along with oxygen facility.

The official said his administration had even sealed the entire Garhi Habibullah and closed around 60 public and private sectors’ educational institutions in the town.He said the step plunged down the cases in the area sited on the boundary with Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mohammad Siddique said that recovery rate from Cobvid-19 was satisfactory in the district as the Health Department in collaboration with district administration was ensuring a greater screening.

“Though there are 339 positive Covid-19 cases in the district, yet we can accommodate around 500 patients at our health facilities and quarantine centre established in the district,” he said.

Also in the day, Assistant Commissioner in Balakot, Nawab, Sameer Hussain Lughari, met ulema and representatives of the transport and trader bodies. He sought their support in compliance with Covid-19 standard operating procedures.

He said henceforth traders and transporters would ensure that nobody was shopping or travelling without facemasks and those defying the directives would be proceeded against.Grant for bar association: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Member Provincial Assembly Babar Saleem Swati gave away Rs1 million cheque to the district bar association.

Swati, visited the bar and gave away the provincial government’s cheque to District Bar Association President Amir Khan at a ceremony.The bars president thanked the MPA for the financial assistance.

Arrest: The Oghi police arrested two proclaimed offenders allegedly involved in the killing of a couple in Malokra area last year.The police party led by the Station House Officer of Oghi, Javed Khan, raided in Malokra area and arrested Abdullah Moman and his accomplice Mohammad Sohail. According to police both had fled the area after killing a couple in the name of honour.