ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Sunday said that the government is not considering a new lockdown to curb coronavirus infections, despite a steady rise in new cases over the past month.
Speaking on a television programme, Asad, who also heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), said: “A full lockdown is not the solution.”
“We attempted to explain this to the public during the first wave [of the coronavirus] but achieved little success. You cannot shut down an entire country and steal the livelihoods,” he stressed.
However, the minister hinted at “targeted restrictions” and said that the government will take only those measures that will not threaten people’s livelihoods.
He further said that the NCOC had identified and conveyed information related to coronavirus hotspots with provinces. But he admitted the implementation of these smart lockdowns was not satisfactory.
His comments came a day after Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed reportedly issued a statement — and later retracted — suggesting the country will enter a new lockdown on Monday to combat the contagious disease.
The national coronavirus transmission rate inched down to 8.74 per cent on Sunday — from 9.46 per cent a day earlier — government data showed, as the country reported 3,667 new cases in the last 24 hours after conducting 41,960 tests.
Meanwhile, 2,092 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, while the total recoveries stood at 581,852.
In all, 626,802 cases and 13,843 deaths linked to the coronavirus have been reported in Pakistan since February last. 44 more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, including 30 in Punjab and six in Khyber Pakthunkhwa (KP).
A breakdown of the total cases showed that 263,058 cases were detected in Sindh, 197,177 in Punjab, 79,245 in KP, 19,327 in Balochistan, 51,414 in Islamabad, 4,972 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and 11,609 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
“An NCOC meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday at which we will review the situation, and if it does not improve, a decision of stricter measures can be announced,” Asad had announced on Friday.
He had also said that hospital beds were filling fast and warned of stricter curbs if health guidelines were not followed.
“The new strain [first found in the United Kingdom] spreads faster and is more deadly,” he had said in a tweet.
PUBLIC GATHERINGS, VISITORS BANNED IN QUETTA:
The district administration of Quetta on Sunday imposed a ban on public gatherings and tourists’ entry into the provincial capital in view of a third wave of coronavirus pandemic.
The Quetta deputy commissioner said action will be taken against those found flouting the restrictions.
The statistics released by the NCOC on Sunday morning showed 203 new coronavirus cases in Balochistan took the tally to 19,327.
Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani had earlier said the third wave has hit the country with intensity, but “by the grace of God our province is safe”.
Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, Shahwani had said the government was strictly implementing the guidelines and creating awareness about the disease.
He further said: “We have not decided about imposing smart lockdown or other restrictions so far, but will take decisions to close markets, schools and other institutions according to the situation.”
77PC OF REGISTERED ISLAMABAD RESIDENTS VACCINATED:
In Islamabad, 77 per cent of people, who registered for Covid-19 shots, have been administered the vaccine, a health official said.
Islamabad District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia said that 26,676 people, who applied during the ongoing second phase of the drive, have been fully vaccinated.
“In Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, 7,871 people were administered jabs. While in Polyclinic Hospital, 2,944 people received the drug,” APP quoted him as saying.
“At the CDA Hospital, 3,743 people were administered the doses […] 4,818 people in Tarlai Rural Health Centre; 2,337 in Federal General Hospital and 201 people at the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Center (IHITC),” he said.
A total of 47,167 people have so far signed up for the vaccination in Islamabad, the DHO added.
In a notification issued Saturday, Dr Zia had said that all adult vaccination centres in the capital will remain closed on Sundays and on public holidays.
The notification said that Covid-19 vaccination shall not be held on Sundays and national holidays in any vaccination centre with effect from March 18, even in hospitals/health facilities that are otherwise functional on Sundays and national holidays.
The NCOC had on Saturday announced that the Covid-19 vaccination centres will remain closed on Sundays and public holidays across the country.
It also advised citizens not to visit the vaccine centres for vaccination on Sundays and public holidays.
OVER 10,000 GET SECOND VACCINE DOSE IN KP:
In KP, over 10,000 healthcare workers received the second dose of the vaccine.
The province has administered coronavirus vaccine shots to 10,451 elderly people over the age of 60, its health department said in a statement.
In the last two days, 1,546 people were administered the second shot. Whereas, in the last 24 hours, 1,665 health workers have been inoculated the dose.
In total, KP administered the second dose to 10,370 health workers, according to the health department.
NCOC TO DECIDE ON SCHOOLS’ CLOSURE:
Meanwhile, it emerged on Sunday that an important session of the NCOC is scheduled for Monday, wherein the forum will take a decision on schools’ closure and exams.
Violations of coronavirus SOPs have been reported in schools where examinations are being conducted, prompting the NCOC to summon a meeting to take a decision to curb the spread of the virus.
