Zubair Qureshi
The Department of Management Sciences, the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) has been closed after two cases of coronavirus were detected in the department through random testing.
Earlier, the District Magistrate had issued orders to seal the university but afterwards, it was decided to close the department where two Covid-19 cases were reported.
Health teams are also conducting tests of the students living in the hostel of the university, an official told Pakistan Observer here Monday. At present the hostel building has virtually turned into a quarantine centre, he further said.
After we get a clearance, normal life will resume, the official said. The university has been operational since Sept 15 as per Higher Education Commission (HEC) policy and classes are being taken on alternate days.
All the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), health guidelines and necessary protocol are in place at the university and Rector Maj Gen (R) Muhammad Jaffar is personally supervising implementation of these SOPs, he further said. After two weeks, and on the update of the health department decision on opening of the university department will be taken.
Besides NUML, Pak-Turk Maarif School in Chak Shehzad is also closed after two Covid-19 cases were reported there.
A notification issued by the District Magistrate late Sunday says, “After confirmation/reporting of two positive cases of Covid-19 and after analysis of epidemiological trend by the Nerve Centre established in the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the ICT, Islamabad and in order to prevent community spread of virus, the campus and hostel of the Pak-Turk Maarif International School & College Chak Shehzad are hereby sealed with immediate effect in large public interest.”
Schools and colleges were closed in March when the government enforced a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. Authorities started lifting strict curbs last month allowing almost all businesses and the tourism sector to reopen.
Earlier this month, the government announced it would be allowing reopening of all educational institutions in three phases starting from September 15.
Besides closing down the virus-hit school, college and university, random testing has also been ordered there.
The statement added that orders had been issued to disinfect the properties based on guidelines of the ministry of health and test all ‘exposed’ staff and students.
The government had also directed opening middle schools across the country from Sept 23 while primary and junior schools are opening from tomorrow, Sept 30.
Joint Executive Director (JED) of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Dr Minhajus Siraj also confirmed that there is a slight increase in new cases of coronavirus during the past three to four days.
In the last twenty-four hours, 49 patients were examined at the PIMS of which two were admitted while one was discharged. Currently, a total of 9 patients are admitted in the hospital while none of them is in crucial condition nor on ventilator, he further said.
About the PIMS own staff infected with the virus, 11 are infected with the virus including two doctors, four nurses, attendants, aya and other staff.
