KARACHI                  -              Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Monday said he had identified five graveyards in the city where those dying of the novel coronavirus would be buried, saying that only few relatives of the deceased would be allowed to attend the funeral.

Talking to the media after review­ing the facilities being offered at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, Wasim said that all steps would be taken by the district ad­ministration to prevent the spread of the virus even at the time of funeral. “Only close relatives of the deceased would be allowed to attend his or her funeral,” he added.

Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saifur Rehman, Senior Director Coor­dination Masood Alam, Senior Director Health Services Dr Salma Kausar, Medi­cal Superintendent Dr Nadeem Rajput and other officials were also present on the occasion.

Wasim Akhtar said that Muhammad Shah graveyard in North Karachi, Sur­jani graveyard, Mawach Goth graveyard, Korangi No.6 graveyard and Gulshan-e-Zia graveyard in Orangi Town had been identified for the purpose. He said that the Karachi Metropolitan Cor­poration was taking all possible measures in fight against the life-taking disease despite its limited resources, adding that he had approached the National Disaster Management and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, and asked them to provide all basic equipment to the Abbasi Sha­heed Hospital. “Abbasi Shaheed Hospital should also be given due funds so that it could be used for coronavirus testing just as Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital and Indus Hospital,” said the mayor.

He further said that a filter clinic had been established at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital which would provide preliminary test­ing facility.

“The first phase of fumiga­tion has been completed in the dis­trict council whereas steps are being taken for the second phase,” Wasim said to a question