SARGODHA: The district administration has warned the public against spreading rumours with regard to cronavirus spread, refuting the fake news on social media including a plan to house 400 pilgrims returning from Iran in the district.

The district had been in the grip of various rumours, including the one that the 150-bed quarantine camp set up at local agriculture college might be expanded to 450 beds facility to house 400 pilgrims returning from Iran.

The rumour had caused much anxiety and panic among the local population.

Scotching the rumour, the district administrtion said no such plan was under consideration, and warned those spreading such rumours of strict legal action.

Isolation wards set up in 10 hospitals in district

The officials initially denied that any suspected virus patients had escaped from a quarantine centre. However, later during a briefing to Brig Aftab of Corps 1, Kharian, the officials said that Kashif, a resident of Chak No 124, Gammon, escaped from quarantine cell at district headquarters hospital, but he was soon traced by a Rescue 1122 team and was brought back to the isolation ward set up at the TB Hospital.

The administration said that so far 850 people out of 1,243 who returned from abroad had been screened for the virus and the reports of their tests were awaited.

Meanwhile, scores of residents of Chak No 14-SB, having 6,000 strong population, staged a protest against what they called poor response of administration with regard to screening of six persons who arrived at the village from Karachi.

A spokesman for local health department said isolation wards for the suspected Covid-19 patients had been set up in 10 hospitals in the district.

He said so far two persons had tested positive for the virus who had been kept in an isolation ward and that they were stable.

He said 83 pilgrims from Sargodha were being kept at a quarantine centre in Dera Ghazi Khan for the last 11 days. Out of these pilgrims, 10 were found to be positive cases, he added.

Meanwhile, Brig Aftab of 1 Corps, Kharian, inspected isolation wards and said the army being part of the government would perform its duty as a sacred mission to save the nation from the virus.

However, he said, the people should realise their responsibility and should not be part of any gathering. He also reviewed the arrangements to control coronavirus made by the district administration.

He was told during a briefing that 104 pilgrims hailing from Sargodha district had been kept in D G Khan quarantine camp. Earlier on Monday, an official press release had stated that the number of these pilgrims was 83.

The administration claimed there was no shortage of anti-virus kits and masks in the district and all possible arrangements had been made to meet the challenge.

It was stated that all students of medical colleges, student nurses and paramedics in their final year of education had been trained for handling coronavirus suspects and patients and their appointment orders had also been issued for their deployment in different isolation wards set up in the district.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2020