Following the death of five people and a surge in novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, the government has decided to impose smart lockdowns for two weeks in four localities of Rawalpindi from Sunday (today).
As per the notification issued by the Punjab government, the smart lockdown will be imposed in Allama Iqbal Colony Street 27, Azizabad, Sadiqabad Street 4, and Dhok Paracha.
However, shops selling essential items, pharmacies, and fuel stations will remain open. As per the notification police will be deployed on entry and exit points of the areas under lockdown.
The notification read that there would be a ban on gathering outside homes, standing idle outdoors and coming out of houses without any purpose.
There would be strict action against the residents on violation of coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Meanwhile, five women succumbed to medical complications caused by the Covid-19 infection at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) during the past 24 hours on Saturday.
The patients including Naz Fatima, Khalida, Nazia, Ravida and Maroof Begum were under treatment in the coronavirus ward at the healthcare facility.
Hospital sources said that some 92 Covid-19 infected patients are under treatment at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant (RIUKT) and HFH.
Among them, 23 patients are on oxygen while six are on ventilators. The health authorities have urged the people to strictly follow precautionary guidelines to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Also read Punjab tightens Covid-19 restrictions, businesses to close at 6pm from today
Fine for not wearing masks
The district administration of Islamabad has made it compulsory for residents to wear face masks at all times in public spaces amid a rise in coronavirus cases.
Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the capital for two months. People violating the orders will be punished under Section 188 of the law.
“It becomes essential that the people must wear face masks while visiting public places in closed areas in Islamabad Capital Territory,” a notification issued by the government read. Shafqaat warned that the administration will not compromise in this regard and will make sure that violators are punished.
The decision was taken after coronavirus cases in the city rose. Islamabad has reported 47,365 so far.
Lockdown in Attock
The Attock district administration on Saturday imposed lockdown across the district for halting the rapid spread of the third wave of the pandemic.
The notification said that the lockdown, proposed by the healthcare department, was enforced in different districts of the province including Attock following reports of a surge in the number of new Covid-19 cases.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qammar said the Punjab government has started taking strict measures as the UK-variant of the coronavirus continues to spread in the province.
He said that according to the notification, bazaars and markets will close at 6pm while business centres will remain closed on weekends. He added that according to instructions of the Punjab government, dairy shops, chicken, meat and fish shops, as well as bakeries, will operate between 7am and 7pm only while medical services such as pharmacies, laboratories, medical stores, collection centres, hospitals and clinics will remain open round the clock.
Attock District Health Authority CEO Dr Jawad Ellahi said seven more people have tested positive for the contagion and the current caseload of Covid-19 in the district was 57.
All, except one, were quarantined at their respective homes. With additional input from agencies
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2021.
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