LAHORE: With a record 15.2 Covid positivity rate in Lahore and 10.3 in Rawalpindi during the fifth wave of the coronavirus, the Punjab government has announced certain restrictions in the districts reporting more than 10 percent positivity rate of the virus in order to curtail the infections.

Witnessing a massive surge in the Covid-19 cases, Punjab for the first time reported over 1,000 new infections in a day during the latest wave.

As per official data issued on Wednesday, 1,127 people tested positive for the virus during the last 24 hours in Punjab, taking the total number of infections to 455,600 in the province so far.

Of the new cases, most — 783 — were reported in the provincial capital Lahore, followed by 194 in Rawalpindi, and 21 in Multan.

Other cases were reported in Faisalabad, Sheikhpura, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan, Okara, Khushab, Sargodha, Gujrat, DG Khan, Bhawalpur and Bahawalnagar.

The figures show the disease has started increasing burden on major cities of the province, which has also been reporting the highest number of Covid cases and related deaths during the previous four waves.

The health authorities have asked the hospitals to intensify efforts for the provision of treatment to the patients, following the recent surge in the virus cases.

The administrations of the hospitals have been directed to keep sufficient number of beds vacant for the Covid patients in the designated wards, besides ensuring their timely treatment.

Meanwhile, the health department says the Punjab government has decided to intensify the Covid restrictions in Lahore as the infectivity rate in the city has reached 15.

According to the decision, the public transport will limit the number of passengers to 70 per cent of a vehicle’s capacity, while the trains will run with 80pc of their seating capacity from Thursday (today).

The parks and the tourism places shall allow only the fully vaccinated visitors with 50pc of their capacity.

The government declared that the schools shall operate with 50 percent attendance of students below 12 years in the districts reporting more than 10pc positivity rate.

The marriage halls shall allow only 300 fully vaccinated guests from Jan 24 to Feb 15.

Similarly, the shrines and cinemas shall be allowed to have 50pc less visitors as compare to the routine days.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2022