LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed ‘smart’ lockdown in four cities of the province following reports of surge in the number of new Covid-19 cases.

The lockdown proposed by the primary and secondary healthcare department was enforced in 16 localities of Lahore, three of Hafizabad and one each of Gujranwala and Gujrat.

According to the notification issued on Wednesday, the police imposed ‘smart’ lockdown and sealed areas in Johar Town, Township Sector A, Askari 10, Karim Block Iqbal Town, Faiz Road Muslim Town, Raza Block Iqbal Town, Shadman and DHA Phase I.

According to Wednesday’s [Covid] update, 38 more critical patients died during the last 24 hours in Punjab, taking the total number to 4,646 across the province.

Similarly, 497 more people tested positive for the virus during the same period in Punjab.

The total number of the confirmed patients reached 155,214 in Punjab.

Of them, 277 were reported from Lahore, 25 from Rawalpindi, 22 from Faisalabad and 20 from Multan.

Other cases were reported from Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal, Nankana Sahib, Bahawalnagar, Khushab, Layyah, Sheikhupura, Norowal, Gujrat, Kasur, Okara, Hafizabad, Lodhran, Jehlum, Mianwali Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang, Bhakar, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Chinot, and Muzafargarh.

A spokesperson for the health department said 16,704 Covid tests were performed in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

He said guidelines had already been notified for areas where the ‘smart’ lockdown was enforced.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2021