Punjab to ease Covid curbs

Decrease in infection rate witnessed during past week

LAHORE:

In view of an improvement in the situation with respect to the spread of coronavirus during the past week, Punjab government planning to ease ‘smart lockdown’ imposed in high risk areas of various districts.

Although 704 deaths caused by the pandemic were reported in Punjab during September, including 274 in Lahore, among 37,962 people who contracted the virus in the 36 districts of the province, an improvement in the figures was witnessed last week.

Seeing the improved situation, the provincial government may ease the restrictions imposed to save the people from the disease. 

The month began amid a surge in the fourth wave of Covid-19 in Punjab with a high number of new cases and deaths recorded daily.

During the first three weeks of the month, the coronavirus positivity rate increased, reaching as much as 14 per cent in some big cities. The highest daily death toll as well as number of new patients during the latest wave of the pandemic were also recorded during the period.

The prevalence of the more dangerous Delta variant of the virus, reported to have originated in India, alarmed the provincial health authorities. A spokesman said the variant had caused 90 per cent of the deaths attributed to coranivirus.

However, the daily death toll and infection rate decreased in the last week of September.

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During the past 24 hours, the virus claimed 22 lives and inflicted 739 people in Punjab.

Lahore still remains the worst hit city with a 7.7% Covid-19 positivity ratio, eight deaths and 397 new patients registered in a day.

However, provincial Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch cautioned, “There are 17,736 active cases of coronavirus in Punjab and the situation is still dangerous.”

He said 12,614 deaths caused by the pandemic had been confirmed in Punjab so far, with the total number off patients recorded at 431,093. Over 400,000 patients have recovered from the disease.

The official urged the citizens to follow the official safety guidelines and avoid public gatherings.

“There are enough vaccines at every centre and the people above 12 years of age should get themselves vaccinated,” he added.

An official of the health department said while speaking to The Express Tribune, “The situation is still bad in Lahore but is improving in other parts of the province.  This is the reason that the government is relaxing restrictions from in various districts.”

The official said shrines, cinemas and restaurants would reopen in the areas previously under restrictions. Indoor and outdoor activities with up to 1,000 people will be allowed in big cities.

“However, the government is facing issues in Lahore where the situation is still alarming because the people are not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs), said the official.

When contacted, provincial health department spokesman Sayed Hamad Raza said the department was striving hard to cope with the situation amid the threat of coronavirus as well as dengue fever.

“It is our achievement that the situation regarding coronavirus is improving, but the people should follow the SOPs. We need public cooperation in the fight against coronavirus,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2021.