LAHORE: The provincial capital has been witnessing over 100 coronavirus cases daily since Oct 24, prompting the Punjab government to impose ‘micro smart lockdown’ on 10 localities.

Lahore is amongst 36 districts where [fresh] positive cases of the virus and deaths have been surfacing since pandemic of the disease in Punjab in March.

Again, on Monday, Lahore reported 174 out of the total 345 new cases in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

The total number of positive cases [in Lahore] reached 53,493, almost half of the total confirmed patients of the virus reported in Punjab so far.

Similarly, the city has also reported virus-related deaths (946) out of the total 2,408 in the province.

City witnessing over 100 Covid cases daily since Oct 24; panel to frame SOPs for marriage halls, marquees

Keeping in view sensitivity of the matter, the Punjab government has enforced ‘micro smart lockdown’ in more areas of Lahore.

The lockdown was clamped in New Muslim Town, Raza, Sikandar, Umar blocks of Iqbal Town, in Garden Town areas, Cavalary Ground, DHA Phase 1 (AA Block), DHA Phase 6 L Sector, A Sector, Askari 11, Anarkali, Mozang, Shadman and some streets of Gulshan-i-Ravi.

According to the official figures, from July 21 to Oct 23, the provincial capital had been reporting [daily] less than 100 cases.

During peak season of the infection in June, the number of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 had shot up to average 1,000 [daily] in the city. This number later dropped to 400 to 500 during first two weeks of July, the official figures stated.

However, the resurgence of the second wave in the first week of November has perturbed the health experts.

They said the new cases were increasing at an alarming rate and one of the reasons behind this ‘unusual’ surge was the poor implementation on the guidelines.

They said a majority of the people contracting the disease were those who visited crowded places - shopping malls, bazaars, indoor functions and also those visiting relatives without preventive measures.

The mass travelling on trains and air-conditioned transport without wearing masks was another reason for spread of the virus.

The mass movement of the people to and from Lahore has become a major source of Covid spread besides private academies in the city from where many new confirmed cases were being reported, the health officials said.

“I attended seven positive patients during the last one week and they had travelled by AC coaches/buses to attend family functions in major cities of the province”, a senior physician told this reporter.

He said of these patients three were asymptomatic while others were carrying strong symptoms of Covid-19.

One of them told the doctor that he got to know some three days after the function (marriage of his niece) that his maternal uncle who was participating in the event was a positive case of the virus.

He said the patient feared that as a majority of them, including his maternal uncle, were not wearing masks and were seen hugging many relatives, the virus might have infected several other guests.

According to the new update released on Monday, Multan was the other city after Lahore where situation is getting from bad to worse for reporting over seven per cent positivity rate.

Of the total [new] cases, 50 more people tested positive for the virus in Multan and 41 in Rawalpindi.

Others were reported from DG Khan, Narowal, Sialkot, Gujrat, Sargodha, Mianwali, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Faisalabad, Lodhran, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Mandi Bahauddin, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, Khushab, Jhang and Chiniot.

According to a handout, a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Anti-Corona held at Chief Minister’s Office on Monday reviewed measures to combat infections.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid said there is an ample stock of essential medicines and PPEs.

“The health department will buy more PCR kits for tests.”

A committee has been set up under the leadership of Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Aslam for framing SOPs for marriage halls and marquees which will present its final recommendations within 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2020