Schools closed in 8 KP cities amid surge in coronavirus cases

PESHAWAR: The provincial government has decided to close schools in eight more cities where the coronavirus positivity ratio has crossed 10%, Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahram Tarakai said Tuesday.

The education minister said this while briefing the media after a meeting of the Provincial Task Force (PTF) of anticoronavirus chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.

He said schools will be closed from tomorrow till March 28, adding that staff will continue to come while parents can also come to collect homework.

The cities where school closures have been announced include Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kohat, Malakand, Swat and Dir Lower. Educational institutes in Peshawar were ordered to close on the directives of the National Command and Operations Centre on March 10.

Tarakai said that schools in all those districts where the ratio of positive cases of coronavirus rises above 5% would be closed.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Corps Commander Peshawar, Chief Secretary KP, IGP, and relevant administrative secretaries and reviewed the coronavirus situation in the province.

It was also decided that a committee of cabinet members including Taimur Salim Jhagra, Shaukat Yousafzai and Kamran Bangash would be established to review possible closures of markets.

The meeting was told that the ratio of positive cases of coronavirus in southern districts was 1%. The holding of Dera festival and Jeep Rally was permitted subject to a strict compliance of safety measures. In case of non-compliance, programmes will no longer be permitted.

The chief minister said the current coronavirus situation was alarming and urged people to strictly follow precautionary measures.

He urged people and businessmen to cooperate in the implementation of standard operating procedures besides demonstrating responsible behaviour to achieve success against the pandemic.