Authorities urge citizens of Islamabad, Rawalpindi to be more cautious amid rising coronavirus cases
The number of COVID-19 cases in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are on the rise as another 353 people tested positive. Five people lost their lives to the virus yesterday. Nearly 12% of the people that tested for COVID tested positive, which is much higher compared to numbers from a few weeks back. Section 144 is already in place in Islamabad with special powers vested with police to fine and even arrest people without face masks in public places.
Smart lockdowns in place
The government is continuing the policy of smart lockdowns. In Islamabad, a number of individual sectors with a high number of cases have been locked down to stem the flow of the virus. Currently, five educational institutions have been closed after positive coronavirus cases were reported in them. The policy has worked well until now. However, with people not cooperating properly, the virus can quickly spread.
The need to follow SOPs
There is a need to follow the SOPs laid down by the government in order to counter the spread of the virus. This includes wearing face masks, avoiding crowded places, and maintaining social distancing. Events like marriages should also be avoided for some time. The government has already placed restrictions on indoor marriages from the 20th of this month.
The virus continues to rise globally
Many European countries as well as the U.S. are observing a serious upward trend in the number of cases. The U.S. is posting over 100,000 cases a day for a while now. France is also becoming a hotbed for the virus with the country reporting around 30,000 new cases daily. Other European countries have also experienced spikes in daily cases. India remains the second most affected country in terms of total positive cases and continues to have about 40,000 new cases every day.