City hotspots go under lockdown

Restrictions to remain in place until Dec 5; Sindh reports nearly 1,200 more Covid cases, 17 deaths

Different areas of Karachi went under smart and micro-lockdowns on Saturday, as Covid-19 claimed another 17 lives in Sindh and 1,199 more infections, including 859 from Karachi, were reported in the province.

Karachi commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani had issued the directives to impose lockdowns in areas affected by the pandemic during a meeting on Friday. A day later, deputy commissioners (DCs) issued notifications for enforcing lockdowns in the affected areas of their respective districts, which will remain effective until December 5.

As per the notifications, assemblies of more than three persons and hosting ceremonies in houses are not permitted in areas reporting a high number of Covid-19 cases.

According to a notification issued by East DC, it is mandatory for any person entering or exiting an area under a lockdown to wear a mask and all businesses, barring bakeries and medical and utility stores, are to remain closed. The businesses allowed to remain operational are to stay open only for the duration specified by the National Command and Operation Centre.

Besides, the notification states, no home delivery or takeaway from food outlets is permitted in these areas and only one person from each household shall be allowed to step outside for buying essential items, provided that they are able to produce their CNICs.

Pillion-riding, too, has been banned in these areas and public transport restricted from plying in the streets.

Areas under lockdowns

In East district, where 233 Covid-19 cases were reported on Saturday, smart lockdowns have been imposed in 14 union councils (UCs), including Pehalwan Goth, Gulzare-e-Hijri, Jamali Colony, Essa Nagri, Dalmia and others.

Similarly, in Central district, where 105 more Covid-19 cases have emerged, specific houses in 26 localities have been sealed under a micro-lockdown. Besides, smart lockdowns have been imposed in Azizabad, Aliabad, Karimabad, Yasinabad, Dastagir, Nazimabad, localities near Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Shadman Town, North Karachi, Muslim Town and Firdous Colony.

In West district, which reported 133 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, smart lockdowns have been imposed in Surjani Town's Muhammad Hussain Goth and Gulshan-e-Maymar.

Moreover, smart lockdowns have been imposed in four areas of South district, which saw 247 more coronavirus cases on Saturday - the highest of all districts in Karachi. The areas under lockdowns in South district include Khayaban-e-Momin, Khayaban-e-Badban, Bath Island and Khayaban-e-Ittehad.

Talking to The Express Tribune, South DC Irshad Sodhar said that lockdowns would remain enforced in the said areas until the pandemic showed a trend of decline.

Besides, micro-lockdowns have been imposed in three UCs of Korangi district, which reported 109 cases on Saturday. The UCs under lockdown include Nasir Colony (UC-2), Shah Faisal Colony (UC-7) and Model Colony (UC-1). A micro-lockdown has also been put in place in Alfalah.

Covid-19 update

Meanwhile, Sindh saw 1,199 more coronavirus cases, while 17 more patients succumbed to the infection.

Following this, the province's Covid-19 tally rose to 162,227, and the death toll to 2,816, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Of the newly reported cases, the CM said, 859 were from Karachi, 189 from Hyderabad, 36 from Jamshoro, 18 from Dadu, 13 from Tando Muhammad Khan, nine from Qambar-Shahdadkot, six from Ghotki, five from Shaheed Benazirabad and as many from Sukkur, three from Sanghar, two each from Shikarpur and Thatta and one each from Badin, Khairpur, Matiari, Naushero Feroze and Umerkot.

Besides, he added, 382 patients had recovered overnight, raising the total number of recovered patients in Sindh to 145, 525.

This leaves 13,886 active cases in the province, the CM explained, adding that among them, 13,333 were in home isolation, nine in isolation centres and 544 in hospitals. Of them, the condition of at least 477 is critical, with 62 on ventilators, the CM said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2020.