Worrying surge in daily Covid cases bring back curbs

Punjab bans indoor weddings; Karachi opts for smart, micro-smart lockdowns

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) registered 2,738 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day tally in more than four months that pushed the number of total active Covid cases in the country to 33,562 on Friday.

The cases surged in record number on a daily basis, as the provinces moved to toughen up measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, with Punjab banning indoor wedding ceremonies, and Karachi imposing smart and micro-smart lockdowns in hotspots.

Friday’s Covid tally is the highest since 2,753 new cases were registered on July 12. The NCOC said in its daily update that the total active Covid-19 cases rose to 33,562 on Friday. It added that 36 coronavirus patients, 32 of whom were in hospitals, died during the same period.

According to the NCOC, 42,909 tests were conducted across the country, including 14,470 in Sindh, 16,297 in Punjab, 4,269 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 6,153 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 704 in Balochistan, 198 in Gilgit Baltistan (G-B), and 818 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

It said that 327,542 people have recovered from the disease so far, making it a significant count. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 368,665 cases were detected so far, including AJK 5,806; Balochistan 16,642; G-B 4,494; ICT 25,719; K-P 43,359; Punjab 112, 893 and Sindh 159,752.

About 7,561 deaths were recorded in the country since the eruption of the contagion, including 2,780 in Sindh, 12 of whom died in hospital and four out of hospital on Thursday; 2,811 in Punjab, 15 of whom died in hospital, 1,319 in K-P with one death taking place in a hospital, 266 in ICT, of which one died in hospital, 158 in Balochistan, 93 in G-B and 134 in AJK, two of whom died in hospital.

As the coronavirus cases continued to surge across the country, the provinces of Sindh and Punjab resorted to strict measures to contain the pandemic spread.

The Punjab government imposed a ban on indoor weddings and other ceremonies on Friday, implementing the NCOC’s decision, while the administration in Karachi decided to impose smart lockdown in the city’s four districts and micro-smart lockdown in two districts.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care secretary, the ban on indoor weddings would last until January 31, whereas wedding and other ceremonies would be allowed only in open spaces.

“Not more than 300 people will be allowed to gather at the public celebrations,” the notification added. “SOPs will have to be followed in open space ceremonies.” The provincial health secretary urged the people to support the Punjab government.

Similarly, worried at the exponential rise in Covid cases in Karachi, the city administration decided to impose smart and micro-smart lockdowns in six districts of the metropolis. Officials said that the official notification in this regard was expected on Saturday (today). (WITH INPUT FROM APP)