Major cities to go under stringent lockdown

Fourth wave of pandemic rapidly gripping urban centres

LAHORE:

In the wake of a continuous increase in coronavirus cases, the Punjab government has decided to impose a stringent lockdown in major cities of the province.

A senior medical officer of a public hospital told The Express Tribune that as the fourth wave of the coronavirus is rapidly gripping urban centres another lockdown has become inevitable in Punjab, especially in big cities.

Though the average coronavirus positivity test ratio is a little over 5% in the province, in major cities, it is hovering between 10-20% which is alarmingly high, like 17.9% in Rawalpindi and 9% in Lahore.

Official data released by the government shows that the highest number of 471 new coronavirus cases were reported in Lahore, yesterday, followed by 236 in Rawalpindi, 40 in Multan, 38 in Gujrat, 37 in Bahawalpur, 34 in Faisalabad, 26 in Sialkot, 21 in Sheikhupura, 20 in Gujranwala, 19 in Sargodha, 18 in Rahim Yar Khan, 17 Dera Ghazi Khan, 16 in Chakwal, 12 in Layyah, eight each in Mianwali and Jhelum, seven each in Jhang and Pakpattan, six in Muzaffarghar and Narowal, five in Bakhar and Toba Tek Singh, four each in Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Sahiwal and Okara and three in Vehari.

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It states that the total coronavirus test positivity rate remained 5.3% in Punjab, with the highest rate of 17.9% in Rawalpindi. Lahore recorded 9% coronavirus positivity rate, Faisalabad 2.4%, Multan 3.2% and Gujrat 2.3%.

Data also highlights that 20,609 coronavirus tests were conducted during the past 24 hours after which a total number of tests reached over 6.3 million.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Sara Aslam has asked citizens to follow safety SOPs and avoid unnecessary movement to avoid catching and spreading the disease.

She underscored that vaccine is the only precaution and remedy against the viral disease.