DI KHAN/PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Thursday said his government hasn’t decided to impose a curfew in the province to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

He, however, said the areas, where the cases of coronavirus had been reported, were being locked down to protect the life of residents.

The chief minister said this during a visit to Dera Ismail Khan, where he examined facilities at a quarantine centre established at the Gomal Medical College for the pilgrims returning from Iran via Taftan border.

He told reporters that arrangements at the newly-established quarantine centre had been made in line with international standards.

Mr Mahmood said the government was striving to prevent the spread of coronavirus by taking pragmatic steps.

Mahmood says areas with coronavirus cases being locked down

He urged the people to take the coronavirus outbreak seriously by minimising interactions and avoiding unnecessary outdoor movement.

“The provincial government is taking steps beyond its capacity to address the issue. However, all these measures will only be fruitful if the people fulfil own responsibilities by following the preventive and precautionary measures against coronavirus,” he said.

The officials briefed the chief minister about facilities at the quarantine centre.

They said the centre could accommodate more than 250 suspected patients and the capacity could be increased if the need emerged.

The officials said the centre had separate rooms for suspected cases and all necessary arrangements for their tests.

They said special arrangements have been made for the implementation of sanitation protocols and standard operating procedures at the quarantine centre.

The officials said a washroom had been spared for every three patients, while all required staff including sanitation workers and doctors had been posted there.

They said 225 isolated beds had been allocated for coronavirus patients at the Mufti Mahmood Hospital, DI Khan.

The chief minister expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and appreciated the local administration’s efforts for the purpose.

He directed the relevant authorities to ensure the provision of hygienic and quality food and other facilities to suspected patients to be kept at the centre.

Mr Mahmood said the role of the centre’s staff members was of vital importance in preventing the outbreak of pandemic and said the staff members played a frontline role in the war against coronavirus.

Chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, relief and rehabilitation secretary Mohammad Abid Majid, the DI Khan commissioner and other relevant senior officials accompanied the chief minister.

Earlier, the chief minister chaired a meeting of the divisional administration on the overall coronavirus situation in DI Khan division.

MORE PILGRIMS TO ARRIVE: Spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Ajmal Wazir on Thursday said 200 more pilgrims from Baluchistan would arrive in the province to be quarantined at the Dera Ismail Khan on Friday.

Addressing a news conference in Peshawar, Mr Wazir said the government would implement decisions for the control of coronavirus ‘in a positive manner’.

He said all public sector entities involved in the fight against coronavirus had been working round the clock in three shifts to inform the people about the ground reality, including the whole process of testifying, clarification and actual victims of pandemic.

Mr Wazir said there was no question of a lack of resources as they were committed to ensuring everything available to the people in the current circumstances.

He said the government had already declared an emergency, so the people shouldn’t panic and instead, they should put up a brave face.

“The nation has a difficult time and caution is the only way for everyone to be safe,” he said.

Health secretary Yahya Akhunzada said a ventilator cost Rs1.8 million on the market.

He said the province had 500 ventilators. The secretary said the health department was buying new ventilators in light of the growing number of coronavirus cases in the province.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2020