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Lahore is still a coronavirus hotspot: Dr Yasmin Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Wednesday, the majority of the coronavirus cases in Punjab are being reported from Lahore.

“Lahore has always been Punjab’s coronavirus hotspot ever since the pandemic hit Pakistan and even now, most of the positive tested cases from Lahore,” she said while speaking on a programme of a private news channel.

Over 200 neighborhoods in Lahore are under smart lockdowns. Dr Rashid said that the virus hot spots are continuously changing in Lahore. She added that a total of 1.6 million tests have been conducted so far.

Across Punjab, smart lockdowns have been imposed in 44 areas in Multan, 47 in Rawalpindi, 16 in Sahiwal, 24 in Sargodha, 37 in Bahawalpur and 17 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Another 34 localities in Faisalabad, 35 in Bhakkur 35 and 14 areas in Gujranwala are under a smart lockdown.

The federal government said it is closely monitoring Lahore “as every second case is being reported there”.

People have been instructed to wear face masks every time they go out, avoid crowded places and practice social distancing.

In the last 24 hrs, 1,313 new cases were reported and 18 people died across the country. Nearly 14,700 active cases have been recorded.

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.