LAHORE: Twelve people have died of Covid-19 and the cases crossed the figures of 400 during the last 24 hours (Tuesday) all over Punjab.

This is the highest number of positive cases in a day since July, the month when the virus was at its peak. On July 18, as many as 442 cases were confirmed and eight people lost their lives.

During the second wave of the virus, the number of deaths is increasing. On Tuesday, four deaths were reported in Lahore, two each in Multan and Rawalpindi and one each in Bahawalpur, Chiniot, Mianwali and Sialkot. The total deaths in Punjab due to the virus have reached 2,420, according to the official figures.

Lahore reported most confirmed cases 152, followed by Rawalpindi 67 and Multan 50. Other cases were reported in DG Khan, Chakwal, Layyah, Gujrat, Sargodha, Pakpattan, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Jhelum, Khushab, Rahim Yar Khan, Toba Tek Singh, Okara, Sahiwal, Bhakkar, Khanewal, Vehari, Chiniot, Bahawalnagar and Gujranwala.

In a related development, the Punjab government has announced free screening of students at all the government medical institutions of the province in order to assess burden of the infection during the second wave of the disease. The decision was taken due to the increasing complaints of positive cases in the medical students during the last couple of days. The government has also decided to seal the medical colleges and establish isolation centres.

Similarly, the government will also take steps at the hostels of the medical students in case the number of positive cases increases. The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department on Tuesday issued a circular directing the heads of the medical institutions to take precautionary measures and cooperate with the health teams visiting there to start free screening of the students.

Meanwhile, police have been deputed to restrict movement of the public in the cities where the Punjab government has enforced smart lockdown due to surge in the Covid-19 cases. Police barricaded the main roads of the areas by deputing more than 1,000 personnel for restriction of mass movement to ensure implementation of smart lockdown.

The areas included New Muslim Town C Block, Iqbal Town’s Raza Block, Sikandar Block and Umar Block, Garden Town, Cavalry Ground, DHA Phase 1 (AA Block), B Block of HBFC, DHA Phase 6 (Sector A Sector L), Askari 11, Anarkali, Shadman, Mozang, and Gulshan-e-Ravi.

The department said that the smart lockdown was imposed after these areas were declared hot spots for reporting several positive cases of the coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2020