Coronavirus: WHO urges Pakistan to implement ‘intermittent’ lockdowns as cases surge
The World Health Organization has told Pakistan it should implement “intermittent” lockdowns to counter a surge in coronavirus infections that has come as the country loosens restrictions, an official said Tuesday.
For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.
Since the start of Pakistan’s outbreak in March, Prime Minister Imran Khan opposed a nationwide lockdown of the sort seen elsewhere, arguing the impoverished country could not afford it.
Instead, Pakistan’s four provinces ordered a patchwork of closures, but last week Khan said most of these restrictions would be lifted.
That decision came as Pakistan’s infection rate is worsening, as it is across all of South Asia, which until recently had lagged Western nations in virus tolls.
Health officials said Tuesday they had recorded a total of 108,317 cases and 2,172 deaths – though with testing still limited, real rates are thought to be much higher.
“As of today, Pakistan does not meet any of the pre-requisite conditions for opening the lockdown”, the WHO said in a letter to Punjab’s provincial health minister Yasmin Rashid.
Because much of the population hasn’t adopted behavioral changes such as social distancing and frequent hand-washing, “difficult” decisions will be required including “intermittent lockdowns” in targeted areas, the letter states.
The health body recommended an intermittent lockdown cycle of two weeks on, two weeks off.
“The WHO letter has highlighted the importance of following the SOPs (standard operating procedures), and the Punjab government has already given out orders to take strict action against those violating SOPs”, Rashid told reporters Tuesday while confirming receipt of the June 7 letter.
Read more:
Coronavirus: Pakistan cases surge over 100,000 as hospitals warn of bed shortages
Spike in coronavirus in Pakistan as lockdown eases ‘concerning’, experts say
Some 25 percent of tests in Pakistan come back positive for COVID-19, the WHO said, indicating high levels of infection in the general population.
Hospitals across the country say they are at or near capacity, and some are turning COVID-19 patients away.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that 136,000 cases had been reported in the previous 24 hours, “the most in a single day so far”, with the majority of them in South Asia and the Americas.
-
Coronavirus: Pakistan records more than 100 COVID-19 deaths in one day
Pakistan recorded more than 100 deaths in a single day from COVID-19 for the first time since keeping statistics in mid-March, when the country first ... Coronavirus -
Coronavirus: Pakistan cases surge over 100,000 as hospitals warn of bed shortages
Pakistan has recorded more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus, health authorities said Monday, as hospitals warned they are running out of beds to ... Coronavirus -
Coronavirus: Pakistan reports highest ever daily deaths from COVID-19
Pakistan reported 97 more coronavirus deaths on Saturday, the highest 24-hour increase to its fatalities, as authorities urged volunteers to motivate ... Coronavirus