An in any other case bustling avenue in Murree seems abandoned following the lockdown order as a part of measures to comprise unfold of coronavirus. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: The spring season attracts folks to in style picnic and vacationer spots. However not like the hustle and bustle of previous years, these locations appear to be ghost cities this yr after the federal government shut down most of those spots to keep away from the congregation of numerous folks in small areas to stem the unfold of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The federal government’s order to close down public locations on the in style hill station of Murree after leisure spots in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has left hundreds of every day wage earners briefly unemployed.
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq, appearing on provincial authorities’s orders and according to the World Well being Organisation (WHO) tips, ordered the closure of all lodges and eating places in Murree. Picnic spots, swings and chairlifts in Patriata and Ayubia have additionally been closed.
Furthermore, police have been deployed at strategic factors in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to tell all Murree-bound vacationers to cancel their tour and return. Other than overseas guests, these areas are in style weekend haunts for residents of the dual cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
A whole bunch of individuals, engaged on every day wages at these lodges, eating places, roadside eateries, picnic spots and rides have been rendered jobless.
Roadside distributors, taxi drivers, porters and other people offering numerous companies to vacationers in Murree have misplaced their supply of revenue as nicely.
Nevertheless, authorities who’ve imposed the ban for an preliminary three weeks, say this train is critical to comprise the pandemic.
Owing to the entire shutdown of all lodges and different public locations the roads of Murree, Patriata and Ayubia have been abandoned, whereas there was minimal site visitors on the Murree Expressway barring just a few autos. Locals feared that poor households will face extreme monetary issues owing to the extended closure of the hill station.
Within the cities too, spring means a lot of cultural actions and public outings bringing earnings to roadside distributors and other people operating quick meals stalls and such companies close to in style locations such because the Islamabad Zoo, the Nationwide Museum, Pakistan Monument, Lok Virsa, Pakistan Nationwide Council of the Arts (PNCA), Shakarparian, Rose and Jasmine Park, Ata Turk Park, Japan Park, Daman-e-Koh, Rawal Dam Jheel Park, Ayub Park and different such locations.
Asad, who runs a fast-food stall at Daman-e-Koh, stated that the unfold of the virus and the next lack of income meant that his household is now meals insecure.
“We live one day at a time. A day’s earning lost means a shortage of rations,” he informed The Specific Tribune.
Junaid, who has a fast-food kiosk close to Lok Virsa, stated: “Our country is not a welfare state in which people are given relief by the government. Tourists (customers) have not been turning up here for the past six days and we have nowhere to look to.”
Many different small shopkeepers and distributors urged the federal government to offer reduction within the form of waiving or no less than subsidising energy and gasoline payments and personal faculty charges.
Pindi will get first COVID-19 affected person
The primary confirmed coronavirus case in Rawalpindi was reported on Friday. The sufferer is a 40-year outdated man had not too long ago returned from Dubai.
The affected person had been screened on the Islamabad Worldwide Airport (IIA) have been displayed some signs and was subsequently shifted to a quarantine ward on the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH).
On Friday, his experiences got here again constructive him coronavirus constructive, which has pushed the tally of contaminated folks in Punjab to 83.
Punjab CM Usman Buzdar took to Twitter directing well being authorities to offer finest medical care to coronavirus sufferers.
Hostels, colleges change into quarantine centres
Not less than 30 hostels of schools and better secondary colleges in Rawalpindi district have been declared as quarantine centres by the district administration.
The district administration had additional assigned gatekeepers, peons, sanitary staff, sweepers and gardeners to care for and supply medicines to sufferers admitted in these quarantine centres.
Nevertheless, sources say that school principals have written to the Directorate of Schools, protest the choice.
Whereas welcoming the choice of declaring hostels as quarantine centres, they expressed apprehension at deputing untrained workers of the schooling division to care for COVID-19 sufferers.
The grade-four workers at these hostels and colleges should not skilled healthcare suppliers, dispensers or nurses, they stated, including that they don’t even have the required private protecting gear (PPE) for dealing with contaminated sufferers.
School principals recommended that the federal government direct the Punjab Well being Division take over all of the hostels and deploy its skilled workers as an alternative.
Suspected affected person shifted to BBH
A affected person, with a historical past of chest an infection, was shifted to the BBH as a suspected COVID-19 on Friday.
Rescue 1122 officers stated that the affected person had been admitted to a personal hospital within the metropolis. However after his situation didn’t enhance even after just a few days of remedy, the hospital’s administration panicked and known as Rescue 1122 with protecting gear to shift the affected person to BBH and search remedy for COVID-19.
After sending the suspected affected person off, the hospital was evacuated and disinfected. In the meantime, medical doctors at BBH stated the affected person has been saved within the specially-set up an isolation ward and experiences of his exams have but to reach.
Printed in The Specific Tribune, March 21st, 2020.
