Hotels in tourist hotspots such as Shogran, Naran and Kaghan have been closed by Mansehra District Administration after several cases of coronavirus were reported among employees of different hotels.
Local authorities have closed 48 hotels and restaurants in Pakistan's tourist destinations, where a COVID-19 cluster has emerged.
Nearly 50 hotel employees at the three tourist attractions tested positive for coronavirus and were immediately quarantined, said Maqbool Hussain, Mansehra's deputy commissioner.
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The Kaghan Development Authority has recommended the introduction of a "smart lock" at the hotel and restaurants where the cluster was reported. It is not yet clear how long the hotels will remain closed, but officials say companies will have access to open after the situation is under control.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's tourist attractions in the Hazara and Malakand divisions also saw an increase in COVID-19 cases. This forced local authorities to conduct extensive tourist sampling and ensure that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are applied.
More than 2 million local tourists flocked to the scenic northern areas once Pakistan lifted its coronavirus restrictions and tourism reopened after the COVID-19 curve successfully flattened. The move resulted in a small increase in the number of cases in the northern areas.
Health experts have warned that if strict guidelines are not set, tourist destinations could be responsible for another wave of the virus in Pakistan.
The tourist destinations were opened under the policy of "no mask, no tourism" and strictly controlled conditions. However, photos and videos suggest that local Pakistani tourists continue to ignore health guidelines.
“Forget the social distance, people didn't even wear masks. It was as if there was no coronavirus at all, ”Javeria the resident of Lahore, who recently returned with her family from a trip to nothren areas.
She feared that the government's relaxed stance on COVID-19 could lead to an increase in the number of cases. "People need to know that their actions have greater consequences, especially for those people whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic. We need to be careful."
