QUETTA: The Balochistan government has warned people and the business community that a three-day complete lockdown would be imposed across the province if they continued to violate SOPs and other instructions issued in connection with Covid-19.

Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani told a press conference on Friday that a large number of traders and people were not observing SOPs and this was leading to increase in coronavirus cases with each passing day across the province.

“The government is now seriously considering to impose a strict lockdown for three days in Quetta and other areas of the province in view of non-serious attitude of the masses and members of the business community,” Mr Shahwani said.

He expressed concern over rising cases of coronavirus among women and said that 24 per cent women in Balochistan had tested positive for coronavirus and the number was increasing with each passing day.

He said though the cases of coronavirus had reached over 5,500 in the province, a large number of people had also recovered from the disease and that was a very positive sign.

He said in Balochistan condition of only 16 patients was serious and only one patient was on the ventilator.

Mr Shahwani said that treatment of Covid-19 patients with plasma of recovered patients had also started in Balochistan.

“One serious patient of Covid-19 fully recovered after he was administered plasma of a recovered patient in Quetta,” the spokesman said, adding that people recovering from the deadly virus were donating their plasma.

In reply to a question about locust swarms invading the provincial agriculture land, the spokesman said that 32 districts of the province were under the invasion of locusts and the provincial government had been carrying out sprays in several districts to protect corps from being ruined.

In reply to a question about Private School Associations’ announcement to open schools, Mr Shahwani said the government would take tough action against private schools violating the government’s smart lockdown.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2020