PESHAWAR – Fearing additional coronavirus unfold, the polio vaccination marketing campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scheduled from March 16 to 20 has been suspended on Thursday.
In keeping with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Well being Division, about 1.three million youngsters under the age of 5 years had been to get polio vaccination drops in district Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi and Mohmand tribal district.
Because the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities is following the precept of social distancing and likewise advising the general public to take action amid the unfold of coronavirus, the vaccination marketing campaign in such a state of affairs can’t be carried out successfully.
That is first time polio vaccination marketing campaign is suspended in Pakistan as a result of unfold of one other viral illness.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities has already slashed workplace timings, imposed ban on public gatherings, closed marriage ceremony halls and barbershops and requested eating places to supply solely takeaway meals as precautionary measures. Equally, markets may even shut early. Nonetheless, meals and medicines outlets will stay open. Likewise, public parks and vacationer locations have additionally been shut and workers above 50 years of age have been despatched on paid go away.
The Torkham border with Afghanistan has additionally been closed and isolation wards have been arrange for coronavirus sufferers in main hospitals. Thus far 304 confirmed coronavirus instances have been reported in Pakistan, during which Sindh province stays probably the most affected province with 211 instances, adopted by Punjab with 33 instances, Balochistan with 23 instances, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19 instances, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan with 16 instances and Islamabad with two confirmed instances.
The 2 confirmed deaths have been reported from the virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Earlier, a demise was additionally reported from Gilgit-Baltistan from coronavirus, however the authorities quickly retracted the assertion, saying that the affected person died as a result of different purpose and the spokesperson broke the information with out affirmation.
