Lockdown restrictions likely to be lifted in 54 areas of Lahore

LAHORE: The district administration has started considering to lift smart lockdown measures in 54 areas of Lahore except for the seven COVID-19 hotspots, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The deputy commissioner summoned a meeting of assistant commissioners to review the outcomes of the smart lockdown measures implemented in COVID-19 hotspots areas of Lahore.

Sources said that all assistant commissioners will present reports of their areas regarding the developments. Sources added that the district administration is likely to continue lockdown measures in only seven out of 61 areas of Lahore after witnessing a reduction in COVID-19 cases. 54 areas including DHA, Garden Town, Model Town, Gulshan-e-Ravi will be reopened after the recommendation of assistant commissioners.

Read: Punjab extends smart lockdown till July 15

It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial government decided earlier in the day to extend the ongoing smart lockdown till July 15. According to a notification, all the public and private educational institutes, parks, cinemas, restaurants and marriage halls will remain closed by July 15 across the province.

The government, however, decided to allow the opening of low-risk businesses provided they followed the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the authorities.

The small markets and shops will remain open between 9:00 am till 7:00 pm. These businesses will be allowed to run five days a week and remain closed on Saturday and Sunday. Medical stores puncture shops, Tandoors and agriculture workshops have been exempted from the restrictions. The intercity bus service has also been exempted from the restrictions.

The provincial health department said in a statement today that 723 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections in the province to 75,501.

Read: 723 coronavirus cases, 46 more deaths reported in Punjab in 24 hours

46 more people died due to complications related to the virus, taking the death toll in the province to 1,727. Thus far, 27,147 patients have been cured of the disease in the province, according to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. 723 fresh cases were detected after 7,729 tests were conducted in the previous 24 hours.

According to district-wise details of cases, Lahore has so far reported 38,173, Nankana Sahib 285, Kasur 533, Shiekhupura 945, Rawalpindi 5,826, Jhelum 331, Attock 365, Chakwal 206, Gujranwala 2,730, Sialkot 1,940, Narowal 193, Gujrat 1,984, Hafizabad 502, Mandibahuddin 243, Multan 4,600, Khanewal 251, and Vehari 367.

Faisalabad has reported 4,855, Chiniot 251, Toba Tek Singh 488, Jhang 287, Rahim Yar Khan 962, Sargodha 790, Mianwali 354, Khushab 169, Bhakkar 165, Bahawalnagar 358, Bahawalpur 1,168, Lodhran 192, DG Khan 1014, Muzaffargarh 781, Rajanpur 150, Layyah 277, Sahiwal 579, Okara 259, and Pakpattan 142.