Lockdown expanded in five districts
By coronavirus raising the toll in Punjab to 3,558, the government has imposed smart lockdown in more areas of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujarat, Gujranwala and Hafizabad in view of increasing cases of the disease.
At least 584 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the province on Saturday, raising the total number to 130,706. According to Secretary of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman, smart lockdown is being imposed in areas where the number of people testing positive for novel coronavirus is higher. He said the lockdown has been imposed in 22 areas of Lahore, nine of Rawalpindi, four of Gujranwala, three of Gujrat and two areas of Hafizabad.
During the last 24 hours, 362 new cases of the disease were reported in Lahore, 59 in Rawalpindi, 24 each in Multan and Faisalabad, 22 in Bhakkar, 18 in Sargodha, 15 in Bahawalpur, 10 in Khanewal, seven in Jhelum, six in Toba Tek Singh, five each in Dera Ghazi Khan and Chakwal, four each in Sialkot and Bahawalnagar, three each in Sahiwal, Vehari, Mianwali and Mandi Bahauddin, two each in Chiniot and Rahim Yar Khan, and one each in Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Nankana.
The number of patient having recovered from coronavirus has risen to 118,827. So far, over 2.27 million tests for the virus have been conducted in the province. According to the department, coronavirus treatment facilities are available in over 240 hospitals across the province. Of the 8,329 beds in 242 hospitals, the authorities have reserved 3,786 for coronavirus patients.
In different cities, 2,204 beds with oxygen facilities are reserved for coronavirus patients, out of which 536 are in use and 1,668 are vacant. There are 669 ventilators allocated for coronavirus patients across the province, including 239 in Lahore, 48 in Faisalabad, 67 in Multan and 83 in Rawalpindi. Of them, 81 ventilators in Lahore, two in Faisalabad, 31 in Multan and 11 in Rawalpindi are being used for patients, while 337 are free. As many as 2,778 healthcare workers on duty in coronavirus wards have themselves been infected by the virus so far.
In the last 24 hours, 58 coronavirus patients were admitted to hospitals in Lahore, one in Rawalpindi, eight in Faisalabad and one in Multan. The areas in which the smart lockdown has been imposed include parts of Allama Iqbal Town’s Nishtar Block and Sutlej Block, Muslim Town, Guldasht Town, Rizwan Garden, Nisar Block, Lahore Medical Housing Scheme, Defence Phase 1, 2 and 5, Askari 10A Block, Cavalry Ground Extension, Officer Colony, Shanghai Road Kamahan, Green Town Sector D-2, Military Accounts Cooperative Housing Society, Block 1C-1 in Township, Khayaban-eAmin Housing Society Block L, Block A in Johar Town and Block E-1 in Wapda Town in Lahore.
Smart Lockdown has been imposed in Street No. 7 Muslim Town, Street No. 6, 8, Scheme No. 3, New Morgah Road, Street No. 10, 19 Airport Housing Society in Rawalpindi. Street No. 2 Zaman Colony Allahabad, Gulshan Khurshid, Karamabad Road, Chak Jaba Kanoha, Kalar Syedan, Kohsar Colony and Street No. 4 Gulshan Colony Wah Cantt have also been put under lockdown. In Gujranwala, smart lockdown has been imposed Street No. 4 Islamia College Road, Street A7 in Satellite Town, Chak Ladhewala Waraich, Makki Masjid and Street No. 2 Sharif Farm Rahwali. In Gujarat, restrictions of public movement in Chak Malikpur Chhara near Nasheed Akbar House, Chak Kakrali near Khushboo Karam Madrasa and Chak Haji near Jamia Masjid have been imposed in view of increasing cases of the disease. In Hafizabad, smart lockdown has been imposed in Madina Colony’s Street Mohsin Shirazi and Zulfiqar Colony’s Street Iqbal Darzi.