ISLAMABAD, Mar 19 (DNA) : After the increasing risk of coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has written all chief secretaries of four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as well to vacate all three to four star hotels and convert into quarantine centers.

An NDMA official told  Wednesday that the Chairman NDMA had principally written a letter to the provincial authorities on March 16 to take urgent measures for mitigating impacts of COVID-19.

He said in order to take effective measures the deputy commissioners across the country were also taken on board to implement the orders in its true letter and spirit.

As per the directions, he said the following measures would be made on priority basis as three or four Star hotel would be vacated and converted into Quarantine Centers.

“The possession of regular tenants will be ceased till the emergency exists whereas one person one room policy will be adopted for each traveler and suspected case to be kept in isolation in the Quarantine,” he said.

The official noted that Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal had also directed the officials concerned to share details of Quarantine Centers with the Authority on immediate basis so that the number quarantines established should be reckoned to take further actions.

The letter was sent to all Chief Secretaries of Provinces and State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir alongwith its copies sent to the Minister of National Health Services, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Secretary Ministry of Interior, Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Home Secretaries and Health Secretaries of all Provinces and AJK.