WITH the people paying no heed to adopting the precautionary measures as required to avoid the deadly pandemic, COVID-19 is again ringing alarm bells in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where schools have registered 225 coronavirus cases since reopening while the Khyber Medical University has been closed a day earlier after seven students tested positive for the deadly virus that has shaken the entire world. It has also forced to KP government to order adoption of preventive measures and necessary arrangements/ preparations in anticipation of the possible 2nd wave of the virus.
KP Health Department said on Tuesday the period covered is between September 15, 2020 to October 3, 2020. The actual picture of test results shows that 17,090 students, teachers, and other staff tested negative, while 4,096 results are still awaited. The ratio of positive coronavirus cases in schools stood at 1.25 per cent. Health officials said adding over 1,500 samples are being collected daily from the schools. The report further depicted that 22,222 samples have been collected from teachers, students, and staff, to date. The samples are being collected randomly from schools in 17 districts.
The KP has recorded a total of 38,076 coronavirus infections, more than 1,200 deaths, and over 36,000 recoveries ever since the pandemic hit the country in February last. Khyber Medical University, it may be recalled, has been closed after seven students tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesman for the university said the decision of closure of the university for two weeks has been taken for safety of students after emergence of coronavirus cases. He said six male and one female student have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The spokesman said the test results of 273 more students are awaited. He said the male and female hostels of the university have also been closed as precautionary measure.
The announcement of KMU closure came two days after the KP government closed five educational institutions after emergence of coronavirus cases in government and private schools. The educational institutions which were closed include four government schools and one private school in different parts of the province. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan Tuesday directed the concerned authorities for necessary steps to ensure all the required arrangements/preparations to effectively deal with the possible outbreak of Corona Virus in the upcoming winter season so that the possible outbreak of the pandemic could be contained and loss of human lives could be minimized. He has further directed to have an effective mechanism of close coordination amongst the relevant government departments/ entities and to enhance the capacity of those departments to enable them cope with any emergency situation. He was chairing a meeting of health department held here the other day. The meeting reviewed the current situation of Corona in the province and the preparations of the government to deal with the possible outbreak of the virus. . The Chief Minister further directed the high ups of health department to ensure the availability of all the required medicines and medical equipment in all the public sector hospitals of the province and to enhance the overall testing capacities for suspected Corona patients. The chair also directed the relevant authorities to ensure strict implementation of SOPs in educational institutions in order to avoid the possible outbreak of the virus. Expressing his satisfaction on the preparations of health department, he directed to further improve the preparations and to have vigilant eyes on the situation.
In fact the people appear to be least pushed about the severity of the disease as markets are flooded with the shoppers without observing social distancing and safety measures after the government eased down the lockdown and opened marriage halls, tourist’s spots , hotels and lately the education institutions. A survey of the various markets and shopping centers etc. reveal that hardly five people out hundred people wear masks what to say of adopting complete SOPs that also emphasize on social distancing.
