A “mini” lockdown will be imposed in certain coronavirus “hotspots” of the federal capital starting Sunday morning, the district health office said on Saturday.
The order was issued by the Ministry of National Health Services under which a number of streets were sealed on Sunday morning, Dawn news reported.
He said the step was being taken to prevent the spread of the virus after surveillance revealed that some streets in G-9, G-10 and I-8 were becoming hotspots.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said that due to the prevailing situation, authorities were imposing a mini smart lockdown in residential compounds and streets where infections were increasing.
Shafqaat said since September 14, Islamabad’s local administration had sealed 19 educational institutions after their staff and students tested positive for the virus.
According to the notification by the district health department , several teams conducted COVID-19 surveillance activities in different sectors and observed that cases are increasing in street number 38, 44, 45, 46, 47, and 48 and on Sawan road adjacent to street 48, in sector G-10/4.
“Street numbers 25 and 29 in sector I-8/2 and street numbers 85 and 89 of sector G-9/4 have the same trend of increasing COVID-19 cases,” it said.
It was recommended that in light of these developments, if a timely lockdown is imposed in these locations, it will help reduce the transmission in these streets and other sectors of Islamabad.
The decision will be enforced on Sunday, with residents being advised to buy essential items, the DC said, adding that police had also been informed.
He said areas in five more localities, including G-8 and Bhara Kahu, were also emerging as hotspots, which would be sealed.
The ratio of positive cases was high among people from other areas who had recently returned to Islamabad for studies or work after restrictions were lifted, Mr Shafqaat claimed, attributing the rise in infections to violations of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Islamabad has so far registered 17,210 coronavirus infections, 188 deaths and 16,279 recoveries from the pandemic.
The Sindh government had recently imposed mini smart lockdown in various neighbourhoods in Karachi, including Manghopir, Creek Vista Apartment in Phase VIII of DHA and sub-division of Saddar after continued increase in coronavirus cases.
