Daily Times

The government has decided to seal more areas as part of smart lockdown strategy to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.

In Punjab, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed relevant authorities to present plans for sealing more hotspot areas of Covid-19 in Lahore. The local administrations across province have been ordered not to allow the establishment of cattle markets in populated areas ahead of Eidul Azha. The chief minister said cattle markets will not be set up in urban areas as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Punjab government has approved to seal 33 localities across the province including eight areas in Lahore. It has been decided to strictly implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) to counter novel coronavirus.

The local administration in Islamabad has also decided to impose smart lockdown in five more localities in Islamabad due to rapid increase in the coronavirus cases. Only essential food items shops, medical stores, general stores, tandoors and emergency service shops will remain open in the hotspots.

According to a report released by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local government department on efforts taken to curb the spread of the virus in the province since March 16 to June 21, around 93,553 efforts were carried out in seven divisions to curb the spread of Covid-19. Giving a break up of activities carried out by various local councils, Special Assistant to CM on Local Government Kamran Bangash said the local government offices carried out 842 activities, whereas the administration of the village council carried out 880,963 activities. He claimed that most amount of activities (24,812) were carried out with regards to health and cleanliness. Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the aim of a targeted lockdown is to isolate maximum Covid-19 cases. The minister, while chairing a meeting at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), said there is a positive difference seen in urban areas where masks are being worn in public places. The NCOC undertook comprehensive stock on targeted lockdown by provincial chief secretaries, need assessment of oxygen, epi curve data and update on Resource Management System (RMS) and Pak Nigheban application. Punjab briefed the NCOC that Lahore city has the largest number of positive coronavirus cases for the past many days and that the provincial cabinet committee is going to devise the future course of action keeping in view the new hotspots sprawling over vast area.