Zubair Qureshi
The district administration and the health authorities of Islamabad have sealed the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) temporarily as the university reported five Coronavirus cases.
The Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) Sector F-10/2 has also been sealed after two positive cases were reported there.
The district health office (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia has recommended closure of the university for one day, while the IMCG F-10/2 is closed down for an indefinite period, however, in case the number of positive cases goes up on Tuesday (today) closure of the university could extend further.
On Monday, the DHO office issued a notice with regard to sealing a number of departments of the university where coronavirus has been reported.
The district health teams are taking precautionary measures in classes and cafes and the entire campus, which is spreading on miles, to prevent the further spread of the virus.
While talking to Pakistan Observer, a member of the District Health team requesting anonymity said since opening last month, the number of individual cases was going up steadily but that was not reported in media or to the district health office.
Now during the random testing done recently, it was found out that the university was hit by the coronavirus and it was thought in the best interest of the teachers and the student to close the university.
According to the DHO notification, SOPs must be implemented in the departments that have not been sealed, whereas people who came in contact with those affected should stay in quarantine
However, according to the spokesperson for the QAU, the university has been closed down for a day and a final decision on sealing the university will be made after assessing the overall situation.
The federal capital’s district administration has so far sealed 49 educational institutions after coronavirus cases were reported.
The Quaid-e-Azam University is the second public sector university after the National University of Modern Language (NUML) that has been closed on account of coronavirus. However, the university after restoring all SOPs and disinfection of its campus is working smoothly now.
Meanwhile, the federal capital on Monday reported two deaths and 91 new cases of coronavirus in last twenty-four hours.
With these latest figures, the number of coroavirus cases in Islamabad has jumped to 19,012 and deaths 212. The recoveries in the federal capital have also shown some promising results with 17,454 recovered cases so far.
