63rd doctor succumbs to Covid in K-P

Govt asks residents to wear masks; imposes Section 144 across the province

PESHAWAR:

Yet another doctor has succumbed to Covid-19 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) bringing the total number of medics killed so far to 63 in the province.

Children Specialist Dr Syed Mumtaz Hussain Shah breathed his last at a private hospital in Islamabad where he was admitted after his condition deteriorated rapidly. Due to Covid-19 infection his lungs had been damaged.

He was a resident of Kurram tribal district who was living in Islamabad where he started a practice after retirement.

It is worth mentioning here that so far 98 health workers have been killed in the pandemic including 63 doctors, 15 paramedics, seven nurses and 13 others including drivers, laboratory technicians, ward attendants and other hospital staff.

According to the Health Department 768 people have died in the recent waves of the Covid-19 across the province in which 244 people died in Peshawar.

“Peshawar is on the top of the casualty list in the pandemics in the recent wave,” said an official, adding that 31 people died in Abbotabad, eight in Bajaur, 24 in Bannu, five in Battagram, eight in Bunner, 58 in Charsadda, four in Lower Chitral, eight in Upper Chitral, 19 in Dera Ismail Khan, 24 Dir Lower, 11 in Dir Upper, 14 in Hangu, 42 in Haripur, nine in Karak, 23 in Khyber, 33 in Kohat, two in Kohistan Upper, Two in Kurram, six in Lakki Marwat, 11 in Malakand, 29 in Manshera, 37 in Mardan, two in Mohmand, seven in North Waziristan, 43 in Nowshera, three in Shangla, one in South Waziristan, 37 in Swabi, 20 in Swat and three in Tank.

On the other hand the K-P government has also imposed a lockdown in the province. As per a notification issued from Home Department all those district where the ratio of Coronavirus is more than five percent schools and education institute will remain closed including from class nine to FA/FSC.

All the business will also remain closed from six in the evening till morning. Only medical stores, general stores, restaurants with take away facility, vaccination centers and petrol pumps and CNG stations will be allowed to operate.

Section 144 has been implemented to make sure the SOPs are strictly followed. On Saturday and Sunday all the business and shops will be closed but restaurants, grocery stores and medical store will be allowed to remain open. Face masks have been made compulsory. Intra district transports will be allowed with only 50 percent passengers of the installed capacity.

Offices will be working with 50 percent staff only and rest will be working from homes.

Violators will be punished strictly as per the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2021.