No more suspected patients will be sent to Peshawar

CHITRAL: At a meeting held at the DC office on Sunday, it was decided that from now onward no suspected coronavirus patient would be referred to Peshawar. Instead samples of the patient would be sent for testing and the patient would be kept in quarantine in Chitral.

The meeting, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Lower Chitral Naveed Ahmed, was informed by District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Haiderul Mulk that three suspected patients had been referred to Peshawar where all tested negative for the coronavirus.

He said now it has been decided that instead of patients their swabs would be sent for laboratory tests. This will save the patients from difficulties of travelling all the way to Peshawar. The DHO said a total of 10 sample collection kits had been provided to Chitral which would be used equally by Lower and Upper Chitral.

He said one nurse belonging to Chitral, who was settled in Peshawar, had tested positive for the virus and her family in Chitral was being monitored.

The DC told the meeting that the government directives regarding suspension of collective prayers in mosques would have to be implemented for the interest of the public.

The meeting was informed that there was no shortage of food in Chitral and in case of the closure of roads to Chitral there was a stock of food items for 45 days.

Besides, there is also sufficient stock of fuel and medicines. Moreover, more supplies for utility stores would reach Chitral soon.

Section 144 has been imposed in Chitral till April 5 and all members of Tablighi jamaat from other districts have been asked to immediately leave the area.

The DC told the meeting that the federal government had announced Rs3,000 and the KP government Rs2,000 each of for poor poor people most affected by the lockdown.

He said though the PTI workers were preparing lists of people for the assistance the local administration would prepare the lists through a team and distributed the amount in accordance with it.

The meeting was also informed that 300 people were kept in quarantine in Upper Chitral and 94 in Lower Chitral.

All-out efforts were being made to keep Chitral safe from the disease and the government directions regarding social distancing and unnecessary movement within the valley were being implemented.

In this regard, around 150 vehicles have been impounded and their owners fined for violating the ban.–Muhkam Uddin Ayuni