Mardan’s SP operations tests positive for virus

Azeem performs duty at Manga UC where the country’s first coronavirus death was reported

PESHAWAR: The province on Saturday reported eight new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) after which the toll climbed to 188.

In a televised video message, the Adviser to chief minister on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Wazir said the toll of suspected Covid-19 cases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has reached to 894.

A senior police officer in Mardan district–SP Operations Waqar Azeem–has also tested positive for the Covid-19.  Azeem was deputed in Manga Union Council in Mardan after the death of the country's first coronavirus patient in the area.

Following this, the provincial government decided to carryout coronavirus tests of all police officials providing security at the quarantine centres and securing other places where confirmed cases have been reported.

The adviser said the relief package approved by the provincial cabinet would be spent on people hit the most by the coronavirus pandemic.

Wazir said under the federal government relief package Rs3, 000 w0uld be given to deserving people of the province while the provincial cabinet has also approved tax exemption worth Rs5 billion to businesses community and Rs8 billion tax exemption on purchase of medical equipment.

The provincial government has also enhanced the testing capacity of the Khyber Medical University to 500 tests per day and soon the testing facilities would be set up across the province, he added.

Wazir further said that the measures taken by the government has yielded positive results so far and all hospitals across the province would be provided Personal Protection Equipment for healthcare and other frontline workers.

The province on Friday had reported as many as 53 new cases of the coronavirus.

Fake sanitisers

Peshawar District administration and lcoal police in a joint raid on Saturday recovered at least 600 bottles of fake sanitisers in Faqirabad area of the provincial capital.

Additional Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Shafiq Afridi and Faqirabad police station SHO Javed Akhter jointly supervised the crackdown.

Fake sanitiser was being filled in bottles from three drums which were sized and three culprits were also arrested. The arrested persons have been handed over to police and legal action would be taken against them, said Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Ali Asghar in a statement. He said strict action will be taken against hoarders and all those selling fake Personal Protection Equipment and other necessary items for protection from the coronavirus.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2020.