Punjab braces for 2nd Covid-19 peak

Chief secretary hints at lockdowns in areas with more cases

LAHORE:

The authorities in Punjab have started taking steps to cope with the second wave of coronavirus in the province.

The business duration has been reduced in three districts where over 2% positive results of diagnostic tests are being reported. Parks will also be closed after 6:00pm. The permitted business timings will be reduced in the districts where the number of patients will increase. Steps will be taken to keep people at a mutual distance so that the infection does not spread.

Punjab Secondary Healthcare Secretary Captain (retd) Mohammad Usman said the government was trying to take preventive measures without causing loss to businesses.

He said if the rate of detection of coronavirus patients in any district would rise to six per cent, the business hours there would be further reduced and parks might be closed. He said steps had also been taken to ensure the treatment of as many patients as possible.

"During past fortnight we have seen a sharp increase in the number of patients and we are trying to utilise the steps already taken during the second wave."

The official said the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) had been rehabilitated and alerted again to treat coronavirus patients.

He said standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preventing the spread of the pandemic had been devised earlier and they would be revised if a need arose as per the current situation.

The technical groups of the health department are working continuously given the changing situation and the preventive measures adopted at the international level.

Usman said the real issue was the implementation of SOPs as work was still underway to develop a vaccine for the disease.

He said the testing capacity was being enhanced. Punjab has a capacity of conducting up to 30,000 tests in the private and public sectors daily, which can be increased if required.

"If the epidemic intensifies, the authorities will intervene, interaction among people will be further reduced, but it will be our endeavour not to affect economic activities," he said.

“We have to take strict action and make people aware that they should better protect themselves, wear facemasks and keep the mutual distance. If there is a public gathering, the SOPs should be fully implemented.”

He said if the SOPs were not implemented the situation would deteriorate and lockdown could be enforced. He said alerts have been issued for the last fortnight and voiced hope that the situation would be brought under control.

At present, the coronavirus epidemic is being monitored in all the districts on the daily basis.

Instructions are being issued immediately in this regard and hospitals of all districts have been put on high alert.

The CS highlighted that steps taken by the government have been fruitful so far. “More work is being done to set up separate coronavirus patient wards at hospitals where more patients could be accommodated.

In Punjab, 185 new cases of coronavirus have been reported, bringing the number to 104,016. The spokesperson for the Primary and Secondary Healthcare said 86 cases were reported in Lahore, nine in Rawalpindi, five in Vehari, two in Gujarat, nine in Bahawalpur, five in Mandi Bahauddin, 33 in Multan, three in Sargodha, four in Mianwali, three in Sialkot, two in Sheikhupura, one in Bahawalnagar, two in Rahim Yar Khan, two in Toba Tek Singh, eight in Faisalabad, two in Sahiwal, three in Okara, two in Jhang while one case each was reported in Khanewal, Khushab, Gujranwala and Lodhran.

The coronavirus has claimed three more deaths, bringing the total to 2,357. So far 1,583,563 samples have been tested. The number of people who recovered from the coronavirus has risen to 97,431.

The spokesperson has asked the people to take safety measures to make themselves safe and contact 1033 immediately if symptoms of coronavirus appear.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2020.