HYDERABAD: As many as 65 localities in three talukas of Hyderabad district with about 166,000 residents would be under lockdown for two weeks from June 19 to July 2.

According to district administration’s modified lockdown plan issued on Wednesday, 166,295 people will be placed under lockdown in Hyderabad city, Latifabad and Qasimabad talukas from Friday.

A total of 40, 23, 14, 17, 25, 42, 55 and 24 active Covid-19 patients, respectively, have been reported so far in Mir Hassanabad Colony in Latifabad-1, Latifabad-4 and 6, Kalhoro and Mubarak colonies in City taluka, Qasimabad UC-1, UC-2, UC-3, UC-4 and UC-5.

The notification said that no person would be allowed to move outside his or her home or workplace without wearing mask under any circumstances and all markets, shopping malls, restaurants, offices (public and private) would remain closed in these areas.

It said that no general exit or entry point would be allowed in the areas except for providing essential services or commodities. In case of emergency, two persons would be allowed to move out in a vehicle.

It said that shops other than those providing essential services like pharmacies, general stores, food supplies, tandoors, drinking water supplies, emergency etc would remain closed within these localities. Timing for essential services would be from 7am to 2pm except for pharmacies and medical stores which would operate 24/7, it said.

The notification banned pillion-riding and said sampling facilities would be available in these localities and ambulances would be on standby to deal with emergency during lockdown. The residents would be allowed outside their homes only if they had valid and pressing reasons. Only one person of a household would be allowed to go out for buying foodstuffs and medicines after showing original national identity cards to law enforcers.

It exempted people of various professions including lawyers, media, court staff, essential government services etc.

NAWABSHAH: The district administration of Shaheed Benazirabad imposed two-week lockdown on Nawabshah and Sakrand talukas from June 19 to July 3 after rapid spread of coronavirus.

Deputy Commissioner Ibrar Ahmed Jaffar issued a letter on Thursday which said the lockdown had been imposed under section 3(1) of Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014 on the recommendations by district health officer in larger public interest.

The lockdown would be strict during which all businesses expect home delivery service of foodstuffs, grocers, shops of milk and meat, pharmacies would remain closed.

SSP and Commandant of Indus Rangers also requested people to restrict movement within the territorial limits of Nawabshah and Sakrand talukas which had a total of 164 active patients of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the health department had put a stop to re-testing of Covid-19 patients.

DHO Dr Asif Raza Brohi said that the patients who had completed isolation period at home and were found fit could get a clearance certificate from his office and they wound not be tested after the new SOPs received from health department.

However, a number of recovered Covid-19 patients told Dawn on condition of anonymity they were not being provided facility of re-test. How could they assume themselves as negative and rejoin families without a test, they asked.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2020