Tariq Saeed
Peshawar
As the confirmed COVID-19 cases have reached almost 28000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the death toll crossing well over 1000 figure, as many as 30 prisoners in Peshawar Central Jail, including those on death row and life imprisonment, have reportedly contracted Corona virus.
An emergency has been declared in the Peshawar Jail owing to increasing number of the deadly epidemic. Sources in the Peshawar Jail said the cases have increased despite ban on meetings of relatives with the prisoners.
Five prisoners who have contracted coronavirus are either on death row or life imprisonment. The rest of ailing prisoners are facing jail on drugs and other charges. Precautionary measures have been enhanced in Peshawar Jail and rest of prisons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the wake of emergence of coronavirus cases. The officials said adding special arrangements have also been taken in the hospital for mentally challenged patients in Peshawar to save the patients from the virus.
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has crossed well over 1000 as 18 new deaths were reported during the last 24 hours. According to latest data shared by the KP Health Department, as many as 337 new cases were confirmed in the province during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 27,843. Out of 18 new deaths, six have been reported in Peshawar, four in Lower Dir, three each in Abbottabad and Swabi, and one each in Mardan and Swat.
In the meanwhile the Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir has said that the role of Doctors and paramedics in fight against the Corona Virus was highly appreciable. Talking to media after inspection of District Headquarter Teaching Hospital D I Khan in connection with paying homage to frontline workers against Covid-19, Wazir said that by the grace of Almighty Allah and with the assistance of these Health Care Providers, we are bravely combating this global challenge and working on war footing against this deadly disease.
He said his current visit to D I Khan was in line with the directive of CM KP to pay homage to Doctors, Paramedics and all other health staff including class-IV employees to commemorate 100 days of Nations Resolve against Covid-19. Ajmal Wazir said that the results of smart lockdown were very encouraging in D I Khan which is evident from the results. He said that in the whole of the province the recovery rate was increasing which was a positive sign.
The Advisor to CM KP informed that work on gigantic projects of Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal and Peshawar to D I Khan motorway will commence shortly which would change the destiny of the people of Southern districts in general and that of D I Khan in particular.
