BAHAWALPUR: The swine flu has claimed the life of another patient at the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), raising the number of total deaths in Bahawalpur to nine.

According to doctors, the latest victim is Saima Bibi, 25, of Ahmedpur East. She was admitted to the BVH emergency ward a few days ago and tested positive for H1N1. She was being treated in the isolation ward.

Earlier last week, the doctors expressed hope that with the rise in temperature, chances of virus attack could be reduced but the temperature dropped suddenly again in last couple of days.

PROTEST: The employees of the office of assistant advocate general (AAG) of Lahore High Court (LHC) Bahawalpur bench held a sit-in to press the government pay them judicial allowance.

The employees stopped their work and participated in the sit-in on the premises of the LHC. The protesters said the LHC had issued an order in this regard but the Punjab government had failed to implement its order despite the passage of a year.

OSTRICH MEAT: The private sector, with the help of the livestock department, will start sale of ostrich meat once a week at two outlets in the city.

The ostrich meat could be available at the rate of Rs1,200 per kilo on Sundays at two private outlets at One-Unit Chowk and Welcome Gate on Railway Road.

Livestock and Dairy Development Board Director Dr Rab Nawaz told Dawn the ostrich farms were being promoted by the department and there were two ostrich farms in the district, one at village Hamidabad near Noorpur Noranga, about 20km from here and other near Samasatta. He said they were provided with incentives by the department. “The department will pay Rs10,000 annually for breeding of each ostrich whose chicks the farmers will have to purchase themselves from Sahiwal or Lahore.”

Dr Nawaz said ostrich meat was cholesterol–free and it had zinc and it’s best for the diabetics.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2018