Health officials recommend ‘curfew’ in Karachi’s virus hotspots areas

KARACHI: The Sindh health department officials have recommended the government enforce a stricter lockdown in 182 union councils (UC) in the metropolis.

A list prepared by the Sindh health officials point out virus hotspots in all six districts of Karachi division, the officials highlighted the socio-economic status, level of population congestion, frequency of COVID-19 cases and virus-related deaths in each UC of the port city.

“All these areas that have been identified for virus hotspots, need to be shut down completely,” urged the health officials.

Expressing displeasure with the current smart lockdown in different parts of the city, the officials claimed that such a lockdown would not bring about the required results in slowing down the spread of the COVID-19.

According to the health department officials, at least 42 UCs are sensitive for the COVID-19 in Karachi’s West district, including 13 in Orangi Town, nine in SITE Town, eight each in Keamari Town and Baldia Town and four in the parts of Gadap Town falling in this district.

Likewise, 42 UCs in the city’s Central district have been identified as virus hotspots, with 13 in North Karachi, 11 in Liaquatabad, 10 in North Nazimabad and eight in Gulberg.

The officials in its report declared 30 UCs for COVID-19 hotspots in Korangi district, including 10 UCs in Korangi Town, nine in Shah Faisal Town, seven in Landhi Town and four in the parts of Malir that fall in Korangi district.

In East district, a total of 27 UCs in two towns were declared hotspots in the health department’s list, including 14 in Gulshan town and 13 in Jamshed Town.

Interestingly, despite the high number of infections detected in South district earlier on, only 23 UCs in two towns – including 11 UCs in Lyari Town and 12 UCs in Saddar Town were shown as COVID-19 hotspots by the health department.

At least 19 UCs in Malir district, including seven in Bin Qasim Town, five in Landhi Town, four in this district’s parts of Malir Town and three in its parts of Gadap Town, were highlighted for COVID-19 hotspots.

The provincial capital has a total of 247 UCs, of which 209 are located in its urban areas while 38 are located in rural areas.

Five months after the coronavirus was detected in Pakistan, the number of cases keeps rising in the country bringing the tally to 181,088.

The coronavirus has affected more than 181,000 in Pakistan, while the death toll stands at 3,590. According to the National Command and Control Center (NCOC), more than 4,471 cases of coronavirus were reported while 89 people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours.

As many as 71,458 patients have recovered from the disease, while the country is still witnessing a consistent rise in the COVID-19 cases.

There have been 66,943 cases so far been detected in Punjab, 69,628 in Sindh, 21,997 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9,445 in Balochistan, 10,912 Islamabad, 1,288 in Gilgit Baltistan and 845 in Azad Kashmir.

Out of a total of 3,590 deaths, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 808 deaths, Sindh 1,048, Balochistan 100, Gilgit-Baltistan 21, Punjab 1,407, Azad Kashmir 19 and Islamabad Capital Territory has reported 98 deaths.