Squads to impose Covid-19 SOPs

Over 120 people in Islamabad test positive for virus

ISLAMABAD:

The Rawalpindi District Health Authority (DHA) has formed public health security squads to impose standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the prevention of the second wave of coronavirus disease.

The coronavirus situation is getting more alarming in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as a patient succumbed to the virus in the federal capital and 122 new cases were reported on Saturday, while some 54 infections including a judge were reported from the garrison city.

while A family court in the Rawalpindi judicial complex was sealed off after Judge Noureen Kausar and a court clerk reported back positive.

Officials said that the hearing of a case in the courtroom of Judge was underway when the reports of both patients came. The litigants and lawyers were directed to elude the courtroom immediately and it was sealed off. The female judge returned to her chamber.

The district court authorities have collected swab samples of all employees of the related court after the detection of new cases.

Meanwhile, a school clerk of Government Girls High School Bhatta and his daughter were also tested positive for Covid-19. The institution has been sealed off while the fresh cases have been directed to observe self-isolation at home.

The swab samples of teaching and non-teaching staff of the related school have been collected for the detection of the virus.

Public Health Safety squads

Following the directions of the Punjab government, the Rawalpindi District Health (DHA) has formed 10 Public Health Safety (PHS) squads to ensure implementation on precautionary protocols to stop the aggressive spread of the pandemic virus. These squads have been formed in all districts of Punjab.

The PSH squads would conduct raids in public and private offices along with business centres to examine if coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were being followed.

However, the squad will be liable to take permission from its head before registering a case against a violating entity after issuing a warning first.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Ehsan Ghani would lead all ten squads of Rawalpindi district. The squads will comprise of officials of the health department including one from each tehsils including Kotli Sattiyan, Kalar Syedan, Gujjar Khan, and Taxila. Each squad will comprise of field staff of the health department.

Islamabad sees spike in infections

The Islamabad District Health Authority (DHA) reported that among 122 new infections include 71 men and 42 women, taking the tally of cases to 17,235.

DHA stated the number of active cases to be 648 in the capital territory as 16,286 people have fully recovered until now.

Meanwhile, the teams of Islamabad district administration continued taking actions against violations of Covid-19 guidelines across the city. The authorities sealed two schools one in sector G-11/2 and other at sector G-7/2 for defying anti coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs).According to a document shared by the Islamabad administration on Saturday some 32 restaurants and 47 shops were sealed by conducting as many as 173 inspections throughout the city. Around 17 wedding halls and marques were served warning notices for not following the anti-corona guidelines.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2020.