Karachi: Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, is to undergo partial locking for a week starting Saturday to curb the spread of the Delta Coronavirus variant, because the city hospital is close to the level of saturation, the provincial chief said on Friday.
The day before, the Federal Government of Pakistan announced the ban staff entering public offices, schools, restaurants, transportation, shopping centers, and air travel without vaccination certificates, although only 2.7% of the population had had two two covid vaccine shots.
“I know, people will not feel comfortable with the kuncian, but it cannot be avoided, we have to bring the numbers down,” Mural Ali Shah, Head of Ministake Sindh, said at a press conference.
During the last 24 hours, Pakistan reported 86 deaths including 14 of Karachi, because the coronavirus in the capital Sindh reached around 25%.
According to the University Hospital Aga Khan, there were almost 100% prevalence of Delta variants in the city, said the provincial executive said.
He said that Karachi saw 20% of cases over the past few weeks, but participated in the Idul Fitri Muslim vacation, this virus also spreads in rural areas, with a number of 6% from 2%, because people visit hometown.
Out of the population of 220 million, more than 27.8 million have received one vaccine shot, but only 5.9 million have been fully vaccinated, according to the Command and Operations Center (NCOC), a military managed body that oversees the pandemic response.
Locking will last until August 9 and will focus on the retail industry in the city.
Important services will open.
The restaurant will only be allowed for delivery.
Take home takeaway, dinner, or outside will be permitted, leaflets by the office of the minister’s chairman.
Health facilities including vaccination centers will remain open, he said, adding that the provincial government office will be closed for a week.
Previously in that month, health experts had warned that the holidays and elections of Muslims in Kashmir managed by Pakistan, both of them were held that month, could be proven to be a super spreader.