LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday described the current wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as “more dangerous” than previous nd urged the masses to follow the SOPs strictly.
The statement from the Punhab chief minister came after a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases during the last two weeks.
According to government data, 1,191 cases of coronavirus were reported in Punjab in the last 24 hours, out of 2,253 cases in total reported from all over Pakistan.
The provincial government has also re-imposed restrictions in order to contain the virus and enforced smart lockdowns in various cities, while educational institutes in seven cities have been shut for two weeks from today.
CM Buzdar said there would no compromise on the safety of people and that it is a top priority for the government to ensure that the lives of the people are secured.
The chief minister directed the police and local administration to ensure the closure of markets and bazaars according to the new timings announced by the government.
He said that the authorities are aware of the problems faced by traders, but asked them to prioritise people’s lives as these measures were necessary.
"Due to flagrant violation of COVID-19 SOPs, the number of cases is increasing along with the death toll," he noted.
NCOC concerned on rising cases
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Monday advised the provincial administrations of all federating units to take strict administrative actions against the masses flouting standard operating procedures (SOPs) of COVID-19.
The session emphasized to ensure massive crackdown against all those failing to implement non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs or alternate measure to treat the pandemic other than medical treatment).
The forum expressed concerns on rising positive cases on a national level as the hospital admissions of COVID-19 infected patients was also on the rise.
The forum was briefed that Punjab was contributing 55% of the national mortality ratio of the COVID-19 infected patients.
The tourists going to GB, AJK and other tourist spots were requested to ensure proper SOPs compliance, the NCOC said.
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