Lockdown 'paying dividends' as Lahore's positivity ratio starts to decline: Dr Yasmin Rashid

• Yasmin Rashid says a degree of improvement has already been noticed, as the positivity rate in Lahore has started to decline.
• Minister urges people to contact Rescue 1122 if they want to admit a patient, as the service has up-to-date data on the situation in hospitals.
• On Monday, Punjab’s coronavirus positivity ratio stood at 12.6%, with the province administering 17,994 tests, of which 2,275 returned positive.

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Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid claimed on Monday that the lockdown and related restrictions placed in Lahore are starting to pay dividends, with the coronavirus positivity ratio in the provincial capital registering an improvement.

“The [full] impact of the lockdown and restrictions will become evident in the next two days,” Dr Rashid told Geo Pakistan.

She added that a degree of improvement has already been noticed, as the positivity rate in Lahore has started to decline.

Read more: Punjab tightens restrictions as coronavirus cases spike

The minister hoped that people will continue to follow coronavirus prevention SOPs even as the infection rate declines. She backed PM Imran Khan’s position on lockdowns as well.

“The PM is right in that if we impose another [sweeping] lockdown, our economy will grind to a halt and there will be even more loss,” said Dr Rashid. 

She added that if people wear masks, wash hands and implement precautionary measures, Pakistan can both run the economy and battle the coronavirus at the same time.

The minister also spoke about the load on hospitals, telling the hosts of the show that capacity was at 30 to 40% in Lahore’s hospitals. 

She urged the people to contact Rescue 1122 if they want to admit a patient, as the service has up-to-date data on the situation in hospitals.

Punjab’s COVID-19 positivity ratio over 12%

On Monday, Punjab’s coronavirus positivity ratio stood at 12.6%, with the province administering 17,994 tests, of which 2,275 returned positive.

Read more: Rising number of infants, teens contracting coronavirus seen in Punjab

In Lahore alone, the authorities administered 6,511 tests, of which 1,362 were positive, putting the positivity ratio at 20.92%.

Punjab tightens restrictions as coronavirus cases spike

Las month, the Punjab government had tightened restrictions across the province to control COVID-19 spread, especially in Lahore.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had announced the new restrictions at a press conference after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus, which had reviewed the pandemic situation.

Under the new measures, mass transit has been suspended, as are wedding ceremonies, indoor and outdoor gatherings and other recreational activities.

Read more: New COVID-19 cases in Punjab jump to 9-month high

Restaurants can only keep takeaway and delivery open, while all shops close at 6pm.

No ban has been placed on economic activities. Strict compliance, however, has to be observed with standard operating procedures for prevention of disease spread.

The restrictions came into force on April 1 and will remain in place until April 11 at least.