MULTAN-With three more casualties, the total number of Swine Flu victims in South Punjab has risen to 42, disclosed health sources.
The latest victims of the killer virus (H1N1) included a 44-year-old woman from Muzaffargarh, 30-year-old man from Rajanpur and a boy from Multan. All of them died in the isolation ward at Nishtar Hospital. Health sources said that still 12 influenza patients are under treatment at the hospital out of which four had been shifted to the ICU while the blood test reports of five others were awaited.
At least 31 influenza patients have so far died in Multan and seven in Bahawalpur.
The increasing cases of seasonal influenza are also creating fear among the administration of Nishtar Hospital as the disease is rapidly spreading across the metropolis.
The doctors have advised the residents to take precautionary measures and also urged them to hold their proper medical check-up for timely identification of the disease.
BIKER CRUSHED TO DEATH
A speeding car crushed a motorcyclist to death near Nag Shah Chowk on Tuesday, police said. The deceased was identified as Imran and he died on the spot. Police said that the car hit the motorbike and crushed the deceased. The car driver managed to escape from the spot. The body of the deceased was shifted to Nishtar Hospital.
Urs of Shah Rukne Alam begins
The three-day 704th annual Urs of Saint Hazrat Shah Rukn Uddin Alam begun here on Tuesday. The sajjada nasheen (caretaker) of the shrine Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi kicked off the proceedings by giving bathe to the grave of the saint with rosewater. The followers of the saint laid floral wreaths on the grave and offered special prayers for the progress and prosperity of the country as well as peace in Muslim world.
Addressing a conference held in connection with the Urs, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the shrines of the saints disseminated the message of peace and love. He added that the faithful and visitors got the lesson of tolerance, love and affection from the shrines of the saints. “We need to understand the message given by the saints,” he stressed. Earlier, strict security arrangements were made by police for the Urs. Many other departments including health, civil defence, fire brigade, Rescue 1122 and Municipal Corporation also set up their camps outside the shrine to facilitate the visitors. A large number of faithful turned up, majority of whom came all the way from interior Sindh, to attend the Urs.