People returning from cities told to remain indoors for 2 weeks

BOONI: People returning from urban areas such as Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar have been asked by the local administration to remain indoors for 14 days and avoid meeting relatives and any other person.

The direction was issued as a precautionary measure to check the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) as a large number of people continued arriving here even after the closure of the Lowari tunnel for passenger vehicles.

A police official in Yarkhun told ChitralToday on condition of anonymity that a complaint was received by the local police that four people, including two female students, had arrived in a village from Karachi and as usual started visiting houses and meeting relatives.

When the police reached the village they were informed that the elders of the village had already advised the four persons to remain indoors and not to visit anyone outside, after which the police returned.

A resident of Bang village said most of the people in his area had become extra cautious and panicked and many even started staying indoors after locking their houses from outside to discourage any visitors.

Lockdown

Both Upper and Lower Chitral remained under a lockdown for the third consecutive day with bazaars in Booni, Chitral town and  Drosh closed.

Shops selling essential commodities, medical stores and petrol pumps remained open and their owners were told to take safety steps and not to make crowds inside.

Local administration officials from Mastuj visited villages in the Yarkhun and Laspur valleys and told residents to follow the precautionary measures announced y the government and health experts.

Though the Lowari tunnel has been closed, people living in different cities, especially labourers, were reported to have crossed the passageway either on foot or hitching lifts. There were also reports that some people used the old Lowari pass route on foot as they were left with no other options.

Quarantine centres

Three quarantine centres have been set up in educational institutions in Drosh where suspected coronavirus (Covid-19) patients would be kept till further advice by doctors based upon the symptoms of the suspects.

Screening centre at Ashiret.

Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO) Drosh Misbah Uddin told ChitralToday that screening of all people coming to Chitral via the Lowari tunnel was being carried out at Ashret, the first village on Chitral side of the Lowari.

He said all precautionary measures have been taken and spray carried out in the Drosh bazaar and the quarantine centres.

The relatives of the the third suspected corona patient sent to Peshawar on Wednesday were quarantined in their houses near Chitral town. Police and levies personnel were deployed outside the house not to allow any visitor in and the inmates out.

In Booni, 75 people coming from down districts were screened and allowed to go.

Government officials visited different areas in Yarkhun, Torkhow and Mulkhow and inspected quarantine centres set up in schools and other buildings.