Ag Agencies
LAHORE/PESHAWAR: Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces will restrict the movement of people during the Eid holidays — May 8-16 — as the provincial governments stepped up measures to rein in the third wave of the coronavirus that has battered the two provinces.
The moves came as Pakistan’s active coronavirus cases stood at 84,480 after 4,113 more people tested positive, while 119 more people lost their lives to the disease in the 24 hours leading to Wednesday, according to NCOC data.
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been on the receiving end of the third wave, accounting for a significant portion of the case load and fatalities.
The enhanced restrictions come after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) unveiled its “stay home, stay safe” messaging to encourage people to remain home during Eidul Fitr festivities. The federal government has been urging the public to follow standard operating procedures (SOP) to little effect, and these enhanced curbs follow the general public’s indifference.
According to Geo News, Punjab’s enhanced restrictions will entail the closure of public transport and tourist destinations in the period, while checkpoints will be set up at entrances and exits of cities. Law enforcement, bolstered by the military, will also remain deployed in those days.
The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, during which she was quoted as saying the next 15 to 20 days are crucial to control corona epidemic. She urged people to celebrate Eid with simplicity.
State media reported that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar directed Commissioner Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman Yunis to constitute monitoring teams for Eid holidays and ensure strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also have restrictions in the same dates, during which public transport will be completely banned. Private vehicles will be allowed with 50 per cent passengers, while Chand Raat stalls will remain banned as per the NCOC’s recommendations.
According to NCOC data, ventilators occupancy was high in both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Lahore’s rate was 69 per cent, Multan’s 77 per cent, Mardan 59 per cent and Bahawalpur 58 per cent. The maximum oxygen beds were also occupied in the two provinces, with
Swabi 67 per cent, Peshawar 62 per cent and Swat 57 per cent, Gujranwala 55 per cent, making up the top four cities.
Some 5,741 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country, 676 of whom were on ventilators. Daily testing remained low in comparison to the past week, with 44,838 tests conducted across the country. Since the pandemic began, a total of 841,636 cases were detected, while the death toll was 18,429.