PM warns of dangers of third wave as borders tighten

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday again called on Pakistanis to adhere to Covid precautions, warning that the third wave of the pandemic was far more dangerous than the first two as the CNOC reimposed a series of restrictions to curb a epidemic that showed no signs of slowing down.

Hospitals are filling up. People are put on ventilation or oxygen. We are the nation that was exemplary in the first wave. God forbid, our hospitals will fill to capacity if they continue to expand at the current rate, the Prime Minister said in a televised message to the nation.

His speech comes as the country has seen an alarming increase of 4,700 cases, the third day in a row of infections surpassing the 4,000 mark, with each day recording ever higher numbers.

The Prime Minister, who is in quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 a week ago, told people he had remained safe during the first two waves because he had duly observed precautions.

In the first two waves, he did not attend any wedding ceremony, visit any restaurant, and also continued to wear masks. However, in Senate polls, he admitted not to adhere to the SOPs that led to his infection, he added.

The Prime Minister told people the world is witnessing how wearing masks dramatically reduces the risk of Covid infection. He said that due to the lack of resources to feed the population during the lockdown, the government could not shut down businesses and industries, which was not even affordable for many resourceful countries. But at least we can observe the SOPs, the prime minister said.

He said a new strain came from England and the carriers came to Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad where the virus was spreading rapidly. He said that due to the intensity of the third wave, the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine had declined. We do not even supply the countries that have signed up, due to the shortage in manufacturing countries, he added.

Therefore, it is best to follow SOPs and avoid visiting super-spreading locations like wedding ceremonies, restaurants, or any closed-door gatherings. We can’t shut down businesses and factories, but what we can do is avoid visiting nearby public places, he added.

The televised speech came as the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) banned weddings among a series of other restrictions in coronavirus hotspots.

In tweets, the NCOC quoted today’s statistics that 45,656 tests were performed, of which 4,767 were infections, leading to a positivity ratio of 10.44%. The cases were the highest since June 2, 4,951 cases. The deaths, meanwhile, were 57. Full marriage ban (including indoor and outdoor) from April 5, CNOC said, adding that provinces would however be free to implement restrictions as soon as possible, in accordance with the situation on the ground.

All other types of indoor and outdoor gatherings will be banned with immediate effect, he said. This will include all social, cultural, political, sporting and other events, he added. He also said he would provide updated hotspot maps to provinces for the application of the expanded lockdowns starting March 29. These decisions will be implemented in districts and cities with a three-day moving average positivity percentage of 8%.

Various options for reducing interprovincial transportation were also considered, and a final decision will be made based on input from the provinces and analysis of data regarding the number of interprovincial commuters by air, rail and road.

In a tweet, NCOC chief Asad Umar said the decision to tighten the restrictions was made based on the continued increase in the spread of the disease and the rapid pace of filling the hospital, in particularly critical patients of Covid. Pakistan’s critical patients on Sunday stood at 3,043, with 204 new cases added in total. The active cases were 44,447.

Gujrats oxygen beds were 98% occupied, followed by Gujranwala 85%, Peshawar 78% and Islamabad 56%.

Meanwhile, Geo News reported that the situation in Punjab was particularly alarming, with the provincial capital Lahore reporting a test positivity rate of 23%, prompting Lahore’s health secretary to recommend a lockdown. full for two weeks in the city. Lahore also saw 27 other areas subject to smart locks, which will remain until April. A number of areas in Faisalabad, Gujrat and Multan have also experienced smart lockdowns.

In another development, the first criminal complaint under the articles of the Punjab Infectious Disease Control Ordinance was filed against a man, a resident of Lahore, for flouting the rules for face masks. In keeping with the government’s new zero tolerance approach, failure to adhere to SOPs could result in a jail term of up to six months.

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