Zubair Qureshi
The district administration of Islamabad has decided to seal a number of subsectors after coronavirus cases were reported there.
According to a notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, five sub sectors G-6/2, G-9/1, G-10/4, I-8/3 and I-8/4 will be sealed from Monday (today) at 11:00 A.M for an indefinite period “after epidemiological trend of the disease pattern there and in order to prevent community spread of the virus.”
The exemptions to this order include essential services and supplies like pharmacy, patients for medical aid, rationing, drinking water supplies and emergency etc.
The Deputy Commissioner has asked the residents of these subsectors to make necessary arrangements and store essential food and ration supplies.
A day earlier, the health authorities and the district administration teams on Saturday sealed a number of departments at the NUST, NUML and FAST after coronavirus cases were reported there.
A day earlier, the International Islamic University was also sealed along with several departments of the NUTECH over emergence of coronavirus cases there.
A number of departments of the National University of Science & Technology (NUST)— Department of MS Agriculture, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering— have been sealed following emergence of coronavirus cases according to a notification issued by the District Health Office.
Besides, the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) — Department of Management Sciences, Department of Computer Sciences, BS International Relations, BS English, BBA, Publication Office —have also been closed over reporting of new coronavirus cases there.
Similarly, the Department of MS Data Sciences in FAST University has also been closed down over coronavirus cases.
These departments have been sealed with immediate effect and there will be a thorough disinfection as per the guidelines issued by the health ministry.
All those exposed shall be tested and quarantined along with their close contacts for 14 days to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Furthermore, the notification urges the remaining departments to exercise standard operating procedures (SOPs) including physical distancing, hand hygiene and face mask precautions.
The federal capital on Sunday registered 255 new cases of coronavirus and two deaths in a period of twenty-four hours. With these latest numbers, the tally of infections in Islamabad has touched 21,557 and the death toll 238.
Saturday however was the single highest one-day count of the coronavirus cases as the cases had jumped beyond 300 registering 335 new cases.
The positivity rate in the federal capital is 5.1% something that gives shivers to the health authorities and the district administration.
This is something very serious said the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat and cautioned the public against violating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and health guidelines for coronavirus.
