SWABI: The administration has imposed smart lockdown in three areas of the district due to registration of coronavirus cases.

A notification issued by Additional Deputy Commissioner Gohar Ali said that in pursuance of the recommendations of the district health officer, the competent authority imposed a smart lockdown for 14 days in the three areas of the strict.

The residents of these areas including Mohallah Barh Lory, Punjpir, Mohallah Qasimkhel, Swabi Khas in Swabi tehsil and Mohallah Royakhel, Yaqoobi in Razaar tehsil have been advised to strictly follow the standard operating procedures and get vaccinated.

The lockdown has been imposed under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Epidemic Control and Emergency Relief Ordinance, 2020 and National Disaster Management Agency Act, 2020.

Dr Arif, the focal person coronavirus in the district, when contacted, said that two to three positive cases of the Covid-19 delta variant were reported from each of the areas.

“All the new cases of coronavirus reported from Mardan and other areas are of delta variant,” he added.

He said that district the administration imposed smart lockdown for two weeks in an area when more than one cases of coronavirus were registered there.

Dr Arif said that total admitted patients in Bacha Khan Hospital Complex Shahmansoor were 84 and 14 of them were in intensive care unit.

He said that one patient was on ventilator while total active cases were 520 in the district including 28 cases reported during the last 24 hours.

“The positivity rate in the district is 14 per cent,” he said.

WARNING: The officials of Tarbela Dam have asked people to stay away from the downstream of the Indus River because the flow of the water is expected to be increased manifold during the next 48 hours due to increasing floods.

The notification issued by superintendent engineer, said spillways of the dam were likely to be put into operation for the first time in the flood season 2021 within next 48 hours.

“Discharge downstream Tarbela in the River Indus may vary between 150,000 cusecs to 377,000 cusecs,” it said.

An official, when contacted, said that all necessary precautionary arrangements should be made according to the prevailing flood situation and people should take extra care to stay away from the downstream.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2021