Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid has confirmed that certain areas in Lahore will be placed under lockdown starting at midnight tomorrow due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the provincial capital.
During a press briefing, the minister specified that neighborhoods including Shahdra, Shad Bagh, Mazang, Harbanspura, Old Lahore, Nishtar Ground, and Cantt will be fully locked down. Some parts of Gulberg and various localities within Iqbal Town will also face complete restrictions.
She assured that food stores and pharmacies in these areas will remain open. The lockdown is expected to last at least two weeks, after which the situation will be reassessed to decide on easing restrictions.
Dr. Rashid urged citizens to strictly follow government-issued standard operating procedures. She emphasized that wearing masks alone could reduce virus transmission by 50%.
Lahore, being the second most affected city after Karachi, currently reports around 27,000 confirmed cases, making it the hardest-hit area in Punjab.
Last week, the health minister had hinted at lockdown measures for high-risk zones. During the press conference, she also warned that COVID-19 cases were likely to increase further. The final decision on lockdown implementation will be made by the provincial cabinet committee.
This move aligns with World Health Organization (WHO) advice recommending strict two-week lockdowns in regions experiencing sharply increasing cases. The WHO also outlined six conditions to consider before easing restrictions, including controlling disease transmission, having robust testing and tracing capabilities, protecting vulnerable populations, enforcing preventive measures at key locations, managing the risk of new case imports, and ensuring community awareness and engagement.
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