Punjab to increase smart lockdowns as coronavirus cases surge

• Almost 5,000 cases of the virus were reported in a single day across Pakistan on Friday
• Punjab govt to increase vaccination, contract tracing, says Dr Yasmin Rashid
• Punjab vaccinating over 27,000 citizens per day, she says

LAHORE: The government of Punjab said Saturday it will increase the number of smart lockdowns across the province, as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to increase. 

Almost five thousand new cases of the virus were reported across the country on Friday, as per data from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) while 112 more people died from the virus in a single day. 

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid confirmed the government will impose more smart lockdowns and increase contract tracing to stem the spread of the virus. 

She said this during a meeting of National Command and Control Centre at the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department here on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Barrister Nabeel Awan, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Sarah Aslam while Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Faisal Sultan, health ministers of all provinces and officials participated in it via video link.

Dr Yasmin Rashid apprised the participants of measures taken to increase the capacity of public sector hospitals, vaccination status, implementation of SOPs and measures for smart lockdowns.

Federal Minister Asad Omar appreciated the Punjab government's performance related to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Rashid said the provincial government is utilising all of its resources to combat the virus and ensure it does not spread at a rapid rate. 

“Overall we are vaccinating around 27,000 citizens per day," she said. 

Our current focus is on scaling up the contact tracing. Smart lockdowns are being enforced in the cities showing higher ratio of corona positive cases. People are being regularly updated on the seriousness of the situation and importance of following the SOPs," she said. 

She said that Punjab would get supply of more coronavirus vaccines soon, adding that the supply of oxygen to hospitals was being provided continuously. 

"During the holy month of Ramazan, vaccination of citizens is being undertaken in two shifts. The morale of the frontline health workers is very high," she said.