Five sub-sectors sealed amid rise in Covid cases

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad administration decided to seal five sectors from Sunday night while there are chances that more areas would go under lockdown owing to rising coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the federal capital, a spokesperson said on Sunday.

Sharing a notification on his Twitter account regarding the closure, Deputy Commissioner Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat said that sectors F-11/1, G-6/2, G-10/4, I-8/4, and I-10/2 would be sealed from midnight on Sunday after at least 345 new cases were reported in a day. “Pharmacies, grocery stores, bakeries and testing labs will, however, remain opened,” he added.

Read: Third Covid wave: Educational institutions to close again

“These areas have collectively reported 152 Covid-19 cases,” he said, adding that commercial areas and public parks would remain shut for three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). All Non Objection Certificates for festivals and other public gatherings have been suspended while indoor gatherings would also be barred, he stated.

Outdoor functions are only allowed for two hours with less than 300 people, said Shafqaat, adding that the offices will not be allowed to call more than 50 per cent of their employees to the offices.

It is pertinent to mention here that Federal Minister for Planning and Development and National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar on Saturday had said that government may have to opt for another lockdown in parts of the country if there is a continued increase in Covid cases.

Read more: Smart lockdowns return

Asad Umar on Saturday chaired a meeting of NCOC to discuss the latest Covid situation in the country and implementation of standard operating procedures. During the meeting, the forum expressed concern over the rising cases. The Islamabad police and Rangers are requested to cordon off the above mentioned areas in order to ensure public safety and eliminate further spread of the virus, a notification released here on Sunday read. The Assistant Commissioner concerned shall ensure provision of essential commodities and food supplies in the sealed areas, it added.

“The third wave of coronavirus has started in Pakistan and lockdown can be imposed in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to curb its spread,” warned the minister. The Covid positivity rate in the country has reached six per cent, which is alarming, he added.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2021.