After 16 students and employees of Riphah Medical College tested Covid positive, the district administration of Islamabad sealed the college and a hostel to stem the spread of the virus.
District Health Officer Dr. Zaeem Zia told a private news channel, “We have been showing zero tolerance regarding spread of the virus. As soon as we learnt that the virus is spreading among the students and employees of the college, we declared it a hotspot and decided to close it.”
The district health office in a letter stated: “It has been observed with great concern that numerous cases of Covid have been reported from Riphah Medical College, Islamabad, since September 9.”
“Till date more than 16 cases have been reported. This trend is very alarming as this institute is becoming a super spreader and a hotspot for Covid-19. It is advised to immediately close down the campus and hostel premises and conduct thorough disinfection activities. Furthermore, Covid-19 testing of all the exposed staff/students must be performed and adherence to SOPs must be ensured. In view of above, it is requested that necessary action may please be taken.”
It is disturbing that educational institutions reopened from Tuesday and on the very first day of the reopening of schools, a high number of positive cases of COVID among students and employees have been found in the medical college in Islamabad. People are now afraid of the second wave as it is expected.
Standard operating procedures have been issued and schools are assured to follow them and take precautionary measures. Although, some hotspots are still present in a few areas of Sindh and particularly in Punjab where micro smart lockdown is still imposed. Despite the decrease in cases of the virus, cases have been found in medical college that is extremely alarming for other educational intuitions.
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