Surge in Covid-19 deaths triggers panic among Swat people.

Byline: Fazal Khaliq

SWAT -- Surge in the number of deaths of Covid-19 patients during the last six days has triggered fear among the people in Swat.

According to the district health office, about 18 patients of Covid-19 died in Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital during the last six days, taking the death toll to 72 in the district. About 230 positive cases have been registered during the same period, making the total number of cases in the district 1,841.

Swat is one of the 20 worst hit districts by the pandemic in the country, according to a list issued by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). Swat was listed 10th in the country and second in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the worst affected district.

'It is really alarming for us that not only high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is being reported daily but the death rate is also very high in Swat. I don't know what to do and how to protect our elders as most of the victims of Covid-19 are elderly people having comorbidities,' said Rafiqullah Khan, a social activist in Mingora.

He said that civil society members and government must take solid steps for a strict lockdown in Swat.

Akbar Ali, whose father was admitted to high dependency unit of SGTH, said that his father was in critical condition. 'Yesterday eight Covid-19 patients died and all of them were elderly people having...