MIRPUR (AJK), Jan 30 (APP): People across Azad Jammu & Kashmir have been strictly advised by the Divisional Administration besides the state health authorities to continue strictly acting upon the preventive measures to avert the threat of rapid spread of the
novel coronavirus in the State since past few days.
The AJK government, at the same time, has extended week-long holidays in all private and public sector educational institutions. As according to earlier schedule, the schools of classes from 1st to 8th were scheduled to be opened from February 1 (Monday). After extension of the week long holidays, the academic activities from Class 1st to 8th in all private and state-run schools in the state including Mirpur district will commence from February 8 (Monday).
Divisional Commissioner Chaudhry Raqeeb Hussain while briefing media on the rapid outbreak of the pandemic in Mirpur district disclosed that a total of 14,593 persons were tested in the second wave of the virus from August last year to January 28 this year. Of these, 1330 persons were tested positive leaving the positivity rate of 9.11 percent with total 55 causalities during whole of the above period. A total of 1140 persons were cured in the State Health functionaries following the required Medicare being provided under the set policy of the government on emergency grounds, he underlined.
Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Tahir Mumtaz, District Health Officer Dr. Fida Hussain, ADC (General) Ch. Haq Nawaz, Focal Person for Covid-19 in Mirpur Div. Assistant Commissioner Ch. Sajid Hussain, Divisional Chief PID AJK Javed Mallick and other officials of the State Health Department were also present on this occasion.
The Div. Commissioner continued that as compared to the ongoing second spell of the pandemic, there had been little loss of only five human lives in the first wave of the novel Corona Virus in Mirpur district where a total of 500 persons were tested positive out of a total of 5000 person tested in the first wave of the virus during the period from March to September last year.
Ch. Raqeeb said that although the first wave of COVID-19 in Mirpur division was assessed to be at decline with fluctuation, but later now, in the second wave was found emerged with rapid outbreak following lack of the due preventive measures and ignoring of the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) by the masses, he observed.
The Div. Commissioner underlined that administration had intensified steps for the tests of the overseas Kashmiris, mostly those pouring in from Great Britain to their native districts of Mirpur Kotli and Bhimbher of Mirpur division with strict advise of 15-day quarantine soon after their arrival from the United Kingdom and all other foreign countries.
The Commissioner sought the performance of due role of media to raise awareness among the masses about the drastic affects of the pandemic on the human life and strict self implementation of the SOPs for the safety of their own and others precious lives.
Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Tahir Mumtaz told media on this occasion that the district administration was striving hard, with the coordination of the State Health Department to overcome the pandemic which was found fatal in its ongoing second wave in the district – since the virus still prevailed and it has not ended so far.
The DC said that it was enjoined upon the masses to adopt self-protection spirit by strictly acting upon the SOPs already announced by the government to save their own lives and others individually and collectively.
The DC revealed that a vibrant drive to raise awareness among the masses about terrible affects of the pandemic and the self protection measures to avert the threat of the pandemic, was being launched across Mirpur district from coming Monday primarily under the spirit to combat the ongoing second wave of the widely spread virus.
DHO Dr. Fida Hussain underlined with his expert opinion that outburst of the ongoing second spell of the pandemic was very harmful for the human lives if people continued ignoring the preventive measures – as being repeatedly advised by the authorities.
Dr. Fida advised to the people to strictly act upon the preventive measures to be saved from the pandemic by wearing mask, staying at home, avoiding undue visit outside besides attending the gatherings and other identical preventive measures already advised by the State Health Authorities of the AJK government across the state including this most sensitive district gripped by the pandemic since the outbreak of the onoing second spell.
