Six schools closed in Karachi after students test positive for COVID-19

KARACHI: Six schools have been sealed in Karachi’s Malir district after some of their students tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

These schools include GBHSS Konkar, GBSS Model Haaqani, GBSS Haji Sain Rakhio, GGLSS Konkar, GBLSS Radho Jokhio and GBLSS Jan Muhammad Ahmedani were closed.

The school’s administration has been advised to take necessary measures as per the guidelines issued for the educational institutes by the federal government.

District Education Officer Gauhar Sanj directed the administration of the school’s class and staff rooms in which those who tested positive were should be closed for a minimum of five days and must be disinfected.

All students and staff members who came in contact with COVID-19 patients must self-quarantine for at least five days, according to the directives. The schools will open on November 1 after they take all necessary precautions.

Pakistan reported fourteen more fatalities from the novel coronavirus during the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,759.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 825 fresh infections emerged during this period as the national tally of cases reaches 330,200. There are a total of 11,627 active cases while 311,814 patients have recuperated from the disease.

Sindh has reported 144,449 cases, followed by Punjab that has reported 103,314 cases while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 39,189, Balochistan 15,859, Islamabad 19,300, Gilgit Baltistan 4,200 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir 3,839

Around 29,477 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours after which the spike in cases was reported. 611 of the patients under treatment in hospitals and 35 of them are said to be in critical condition.

This comes as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said Pakistan is currently experiencing the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing a press conference, the health adviser hinted at imposing new social distancing restrictions to curb the spread of the disease.

“The second wave of COVID-19 pandemic has started in Pakistan and new restrictions could be introduced to control the spread of the virus,” the special assistant said. “Citizens are no longer taking precautionary measures even though the pandemic is far from over in the country.”

The SAPM said with the beginning of the second coronavirus wave, strict restrictions would need to be imposed again and a plan would be chalked out soon.

He added that the restrictions would be tightened in the cities where the positivity ratio of the virus was high, saying citizens cannot be allowed to visit public places without wearing masks.