Punjab health authorities and local administration have proposed a complete lockdown in the provincial capital as the COVID-19 positivity ratio stands at around 19% for the third consecutive week.
The final decision, in this regard, will be taken by the Asad Umar-led National Command Operation Centre (NCOC).
Lahore is the worst-hit during the third wave of the pandemic owing to the recklessness of the masses and disinterest of the government. Both had turned a blind eye towards the virus situation until the positivity ratio climbed to a whopping 23% last week.
The situation in other parts of Punjab is not much better either.
Punjab Health Minister Prof Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that if precautionary measures are not taken, the situation in Lahore and other cities would worsen.
Explaining the alarming situation in the Punjab capital, she said there were no vacant ventilators at any of the city’s major hospitals, including Jinnah Hospital, Services Hospital and Gangaram Hospital.
Besides the shortage of ventilators, oxygen beds at hospitals across Lahore have also reached their 70% capacity.
“We don’t have any other option rather than the complete lockdown in Lahore however the final decision will be taken by the Punjab government,” the provincial health minister added.
Meanwhile, 58 people lost their lives due to coronavirus with 4,584 new cases over the past 24 hours. The death toll has surged to 15,501 while the number of confirmed cases stands at 725,602.
The 58 fatalities on Sunday-Monday come after over 100 deaths ever 24 hours for at least five consecutive days.
