LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar on Friday said that the overall coronavirus patients in Punjab province have reached 2336 as the government takes every step to tackle its further spread, ARY NEWS reported.
In a series of Twitter posts from his account, the Chief Minister shared major hotspots of the virus in the province.
Total number of #COVID19 patients in Punjab are 2,336 so far.
It includes 701 Zaireen, 733 Tableeghi Members, 80 prisoners and 822 othersWe r taking every step to contain the virus & equipping our hospitals in every way to fight off this pandemic. Support us by staying indoors!
— Usman Buzdar (@UsmanAKBuzdar) April 10, 2020
“It includes 701 Zaireen [pilgrims from Iran], 733 Tableeghi Members, 80 prisoners and 822 others,” he said adding that the government was equipping its hospitals and adopting to other ways to fight off the pandemic.
He further asked the masses to remain indoors in order to succeed the fight against coronavirus.
Rahim Yar Khan 22, Sargodha 8, Mianwali 10, Khushab 3, Bahawalnagar 5, Bahawalpur 5, Lodhran 3, DG Khan 18, Layyah 1 and Okara 1.#PunjabCoronavirusUpdate
— Usman Buzdar (@UsmanAKBuzdar) April 10, 2020
Earlier in the day, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid said the provincial government will slowly ease COVID-19 restrictions after assessing the situation.
Speaking during ARY News’ Sawal Ye Hai programme, she said the government imposed a lockdown in the province to protect people from contracting the contagion as the government strove to curb further spread of the deadly disease so that the situation could be brought under control.
Read More: 32 people tested positive again after completing isolation period
The minister said a decision on the lockdown is most likely before April 14.
She said the government will frame standard operating procedures (SOPs) when it will lift the lockdown. She added the areas where COVID-19 cases continue to surface will have precautionary measures to follow.
Yasmin Rashid said there will be special measures put in place in coronavirus hotpots, including Lahore, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, and Jhelum. She said the province’s testing capacity has been enhanced as 3,000 tests could be conducted in a day.
She said Punjab has 15,000 testing kits at present and will likely get more in the days to come.
