Restaurants at tourist spots to open after NCOC permission

LAHORE: The cabinet committee on corona eradication which met here on Thursday under the chair of Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan decided to link the Punjab Public Service Commission’s interviews with the observance of anti-coronavirus SOPs.

The decision of opening restaurants in Murree and other tourist spots in Punjab was linked with the permission of the National Command & Operation Centre. The senior minister directed to bring ease in different sectors in the wake of prevailing situation, adding that gradual easing of restrictions would be reviewed if responsible behaviour was shown.

He directed to ensure the implementation of the decision of decreasing public transport fares and asked the health department to daily brief the media about the actual situation of coronavirus.

The meeting was briefed that both the health departments were given a collective corona budget of around Rs11.5 billion. The Specialised Healthcare Department released Rs960 million to hospitals; spent Rs260 million on PPE procurement along with an expenditure of Rs570 million for medicines purchase; Rs5 million to Rs100 million were released to 24 hospitals according to their needs and both the departments spent around Rs5 billion collectively.

A field hospital in Expo Centre, Lahore was set up with an amount of Rs25 million. The meeting was further told that 6,699 coronavirus patients had gone to their homes after recovery in Punjab. Around 1,073 are admitted in Specialised Healthcare Department’s hospitals while 897 coronavirus patients were under treatment in Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department’s hospitals. Along with it, 275 coronavirus patients are under treatment in various private hospitals.

Meanwhile, 1,266 are in home isolation and 65 critical patients are put on ventilators. Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department traced 17,600 social contacts and around 125,000 tests have been conducted.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid maintained that opposition was busy in issuing statements while the government was performing. The meeting also offered Fateha for CEO Urban Unit Khalid Sherdil. Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal, chief secretary, IG Police and senior officials attended the meeting. High ranking military and provincial government officials participated through a video link.