A climate of fear prevails across the country as communities, including family members of patients, are shunning those infected by Covid-19. In one such instance, the family members of a deceased coronavirus patient in Ferozwala, Lahore, abandoned his dead body at their house and left, locking the door on their way out.
SHO Amir Mahboob reported that they found out that a man had died in the locality and his family members were leaving the house. Police personnel reached the area and found a large number of people gathered outside the house, which was locked from the inside. They tried to contact the family of the deceased but when the family did not show up even after four hours, they decided to break the door and found the body inside.
The police contacted Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation to help with shifting the body and arranging its burial. Investigations revealed that the family had left due to the fear of contracting the virus and being forced into quarantine.
In another incident, a youth’s family in Dharampura was ostracised by their neighbors after the youth started showing symptoms of coronavirus. The youth later succumbed to the disease before emergency services could shift him to a hospital.
Such cases of neglect and boycott are being increasingly reported from all across the country.
Punjab University Applied Psychology Professor Farah Malik has blamed the government for creating an atmosphere of panic and mismanagement. She criticised policies such as shifting families to undisclosed locations for quarantine and a lack of suitable arrangements in quarantine locations, such as the Expo Center. She also said that the prime minister is responsible for indicating a state of helplessness which has led to such widespread fear.
SHO Amir Mahboob reported that they found out that a man had died in the locality and his family members were leaving the house. Police personnel reached the area and found a large number of people gathered outside the house, which was locked from the inside. They tried to contact the family of the deceased but when the family did not show up even after four hours, they decided to break the door and found the body inside.
The police contacted Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation to help with shifting the body and arranging its burial. Investigations revealed that the family had left due to the fear of contracting the virus and being forced into quarantine.
In another incident, a youth’s family in Dharampura was ostracised by their neighbors after the youth started showing symptoms of coronavirus. The youth later succumbed to the disease before emergency services could shift him to a hospital.
Such cases of neglect and boycott are being increasingly reported from all across the country.
Punjab University Applied Psychology Professor Farah Malik has blamed the government for creating an atmosphere of panic and mismanagement. She criticised policies such as shifting families to undisclosed locations for quarantine and a lack of suitable arrangements in quarantine locations, such as the Expo Center. She also said that the prime minister is responsible for indicating a state of helplessness which has led to such widespread fear.