Imran Khan delays lockdown decision even as Pakistan reports over 5000 Covid cases

As the total tally of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose over 5000, Imran Khan-led country said that will make a decision on nationwide lockdown and on easing existing restrictions on Monday. 

Speaking at a press conference, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will take a decision after his meeting with the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19, comprising senior officials of all provinces and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "We will make a national decision on the lockdown," said Umar. However, he added that also said that the country would suffer about Rs 1,400-1,500 billion shortfall in revenues due to the nationwide shutdown. 

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Khan's Advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that Pakistan had lower number of cases than projected but people should not relax and follow the restrictions. It will be a mistake to relax, he said. He warned that the number of cases and deaths will sharply increase if restrictions were removed and people didn't follow social distancing.

Meanwhile, Pakistan re-imposed a ban on the export of all anti-malaria drugs on Friday, four days after withdrawing the ban on the export of these drugs. The demand for export of anti-malaria drugs especially hydroxychloroquine gained importance after US President Donald Trump claimed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the use of 'very powerful drug' Chloroquine to treat coronavirus patients.

Imran Khan rules out lockdown possibility

Ruling out the possibility of lockdown, Imran Khan had earlier targeted the Indian government for its implementation of a pan-India lockdown. Claiming it to be a 'hasty decision', Imran Khan said that 'Indian government apologised for their unplanned decision.' He said that his country is taking its lesson from India and it will fight the war against coronavirus with all the 'wisdom' it has. Imran Khan went on to call his country 'most charitable', he said that Pakistan's young population can fight the pandemic. 

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Coronavirus in Pakistan

The official data posted by the Ministry of National Health services on its website showed that the worst-hit Punjab province reported 2,414 COVID-19 cases, Sindh 1,318, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 697, Balochistan 220, Gilgit-Baltistan 215, Islamabad 113 and PoK 34. It also reported that 762 patients have recovered so far. Seventy-seven patients have died including five in the last 24 hours. Authorities have so far conducted 57,836 tests, including 2,457 in the last one day. The official data showed that 52 per cent patients were those who had travelled abroad while 48 per cent were local transmissions.

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At least 61 doctors and paramedics at a major healthcare centre in PoK's Muzaffarabad were placed in quarantine after a 65-year-old asymptomatic patient being treated there for some other chronic ailments tested positive.

So far Lahore with 21 per cent share of total infections is on the top as the most infected city in Pakistan, followed by Karachi with 18 per cent infections. But a Sindh health official expressed concern on Friday that Karachi was vulnerable due to its dense population and increase in the rare of local transmission. Three districts out of six of the metropolis have over 100 cases each, with the East District having 185 positive cases, Central District 144 and the South District 135 cases.

(with PTI inputs)

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