PESHAWAR: Advisor to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Ajmal Khan Wazir Tuesday said so far 24,785 passengers had arrived homeland via Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) through 162 flights while 2,754 passengers departed to different countries.

He said this while talking to media on Tuesday on his visit to BKIA where Airport Manager Ubaid-Ur-Rehman Abbasi briefed him about the arrangements made for the arrival and departure of passengers amid covid-19.

Addressing the media, Ajmal Wazir stated that, on Tuesday 14 dead bodies of overseas citizens had been brought back to the country, bringing the tally to 78.

Ajmal Wazir said well trained medical staff had been deputed at airport including 13 doctors who were regularly monitoring and providing health facilities to incoming and outgoing passengers.

The advisor information stated that, since April, 48,190 persons had been screened which included the airport staff and passengers, adding as per standard operating procedures (SOPs), the entry of non-passengers had been banned as a precautionary measure to stem the spread of coronavirus.

He lauded the performance of airport management and staff during COVID-19.

About the medical capacity of hospitals, Ajmal Wazir said 200 hospitals across the province had been reserved for corona patients, which contain 5440 beds.

He said the newly built Women and Children Hospital Charsadda had 50 beds, while Nishtarabad hospital having a capacity of 58 beds allocated for corona patients would be inaugurated soon by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.

He disclosed that at present 50 percent of beds reserved for corona patients were vacant in hospitals across the province whereas 63 patients were on ventilator.

Disclosing the latest corona situation, Ajmal Wazir stated that the ratio of daily positive Corona cases had reduced to 15 percent, adding the death ratio had also dropped from 5.2 percent to 3.6 percent.

Ajmal Wazir said so far 154,278 corona tests had been conducted.

Replying to a question about the smart lockdown, Ajmal Wazir said smart lockdown had been implemented in total of 244 areas having a population of 883,390.

Ajmal Wazir said in smart lockdown areas movement of people had been restricted to curtail the spread of virus.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan himself monitored various steps being taken for the coronavirus, Ajmal Wazir concluded.