Coronavirus in Pakistan: NCOC plans lockdown in 20 cities

• NCOC directs provincial government to make preparations for a two-week lockdown.
• Karachi is not on the list of 20 cities where the authorities are mulling a lockdown.
• The country's COVID-19 single-day death toll crossed the 200-mark for the first time since the pandemic started last year.

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday wrote letters to the provincial governments asking them to prepare for a two-week lockdown in 20 cities from 2/3 May.

The list mentioned 20 cities across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where the coronavirus situation is extremely bad and the restrictions imposed by the authorities have failed to control the virus spread.

In the letter, titled 'Input / Feedback — City Wise Lockdown', the NCOC stated that a two-week city-wise lockdown in districts/cities with high disease prevalence is tentatively planned with effect from 2/3 May.

“Therefore, you are requested to carry out necessary planning at your end,” read the NCOC letter.

The cities where the lockdown is being planned include Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Dir Lower, Mardan, Nowshera, Malakand, Charsadda, Swat, Swabi, Muzaffarabad, Sudhnuti, Poonch and Bagh.

The COVID-19 apex body has directed the local administration to forward their input for necessary action.

Dr Faisal Sultan warns of lockdown

On Tuesday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan once again warned that a lockdown could be imposed in different cities if the coronavirus situation does not improve.

In a televised briefing after an NCOC meeting, the SAPM had said that the authorities review the coronavirus situation daily and receive an update on the situation of the health system in various cities.

Read more: If the need arises, Pakistan will import oxygen from China or Iran, says Fawad Chaudhry

He had further said that the healthcare system's capacity is increasing daily.

Regarding oxygen supply, the de facto health minister of the country had said that a committee of the NCOC is monitoring oxygen distribution and the plants producing the vital gas.

He also urged the people to wear masks and observe social distancing and appealed to the public to observe Eid with simplicity this year.