Complete lockdown expected in cities with 10% coronavirus positivity ratio: sources

By
Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai
|
People wearing masks standing in a queue. Photo: File.
  • PM Imran Khan calls a meeting of the National Coordinating Committee for Coronavirus on Friday, April 23 at 12pm to review the countrywide coronavirus situation. 
  • Per sources, a complete lockdown may be imposed in cities with more than 10% coronavirus positivity ratio. 
  • If a full lockdown is imposed, business activities in designated cities will be suspended, while all offices will also be closed, the source said.


Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday had a meeting with the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan to review the ongoing coronavirus situation in the country. 

During the meeting, the PM was given a detailed briefing on the situation after which he called a meeting of the National Coordinating Committee for Coronavirus on Friday, April 23 at 12pm, sources said.

All four province's chief ministers and chief secretaries will attend the meeting, sources said, adding the session would review the countrywide coronavirus situation.

Sources said a complete lockdown might be imposed in cities where the rate of coronavirus positivity has exceeded 10%.

If a full lockdown is imposed, business activities in designated cities will be suspended, while all offices will also be closed, the source said, adding the final approval for the imposition of the lockdown will be given by the National Command Operation Centre.

As of April 22, Pakistan saw 5,857 new cases of coronavirus along with 98 deaths. The current positivity ratio has been recorded at 10.17%, while at present, there are 84,935 active cases in the country. 

Since the outbreak of coronavirus in February 2020, Pakistan has recorded 778,238 cases out of which 676,605 patients have successfully recovered.  Meanwhile, 16, 698 people have so far succumbed to the disease.