Zubair Qureshi
The district administration and health authorities were running from pillar to post (read from one sector/market to another sector/market) on Wednesday to ensure that residents, shopkeepers and customers were following social distancing and other Covid-19 related guidelines in letter and spirit.
Observing gross violations of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) the District Health Officer sealed a number of shops and shopping centres while gave strict warning to others who were found imposing these restrictions half-heartedly.
Wednesday turned out to be the worst day with regard to detection of new coronavirus cases as 74 persons were tested positive. This has been the single largest addition to the tally of positive cases in a day, said Dr Zaeem Zia District Health officer of the ICT.
With these new cases Islamabad recorded 759 cases of coronavirus with eight in serious condition. Six deaths so far have been reported from the federal capital.
Our teams have been constantly monitoring the situation and all those buildings and offices where a coronavirus case is discovered are first evacuated and then disinfected, said he.
Clearly avoiding the question whether it was wise to open markets and relax lockdown at this stage when virus is getting stronger and deadlier, Dr Zaeem Zia said decision has been taken at the higher level, he however expressed confidence his team would implement the SOPs for business relaxation in the city. A case has been reported even from our office (District Health Office) and we evacuated the building and disinfected it properly before returning to work, he said.
Similarly a couple of days earlier, Gilgit Baltistan House (GB House) was sealed by the authorities after a case was reported there and process of disinfection is underway there and soon it would be opened.
Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Capital Authority Hamza Shafqaat while talking to Pakistan Observer said people were not following social distancing and new cases of virus were being reported from almost all sectors however frequent reports were coming from sector G-6 and G-11.
