LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed a smart lockdown in nearly 70 areas of Punjab, including 26 of Lahore, following the massive spread of the Covid-19 in the province.

A notification was issued late on Sunday by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.

Following smart lockdown in Lahore, the district and police authorities sealed the Ghouri Block, Umar Block, Shaheen Block, Safari Block, Gulbahar Block, Gul Mehar Block, Babar Block and Overseas Block of the Bahria Town. Similarly, the Sector C & D of the Askari 10, X, Y and Z blocks of the DHA Phase III, Sector A & G of the DHA Phase V, Sector D of Phase IV, and Street No 7 & 8 of Cavalry Ground have been sealed.

The C & D blocks of the Punjab Cooperative Housing Society, Tariq Block of Garden Town and some localities of Wapda Town, Model Town and Fateh Garh have also been locked down due to presence of the Covid-19 cases.

According to the notification, 15 areas of Rawalpindi, seven of Layyah, four each of Sargodha and Faisalabad, three each of Gujranwala and Toba Tek Singh and two areas of Mianwali have been sealed.

The Punjab government announced that all the shopping markets, plazas and restaurants would remain closed in the areas mentioned above. The movement of traffic and public has also been limited in these localities while the pharmacies, medical stores and hospitals would continue to provide services.

Meanwhile, two people died and 524 more tested positive for the coronavirus in the province during the last 24 hours, taking total number of the confirmed cases to 119,035.

Of the new cases, 231 were reported in Lahore, 47 in Bahawalpur, 44 in Multan and 43 in Rawalpindi.

Other cases were reported in Jhelum, Layyah, Chiniot, Chakwal, Sialkot, Sargodha, Attock, Narowal, Rajanpur, Sheikhupura, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Khushab, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan etc.

The total death toll in Punjab has reached 2,991 while most deaths were reported from Lahore 1,195 while confirmed cases 10,753.

A spokesperson for the health department said 9,250 suspected cases of the virus were reported in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2020