Government may consider nationwide lockdown, says Fawad Chaudhry
Loan scheme for young lawyers under consideration: Fawad Chaudhry
KARACHI: The government may consider a nationwide lockdown if the third wave of coronavirus doesn’t subside in the upcoming week, federal information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Saturday.
Talking to the media in Karachi, Fawad Chaudhry said that the prime minister has always resisted a complete lockdown but if the number of deaths from the virus keeps going up, the government will have to take “difficult decisions”.
“Daily wagers, the poor segment of society, and traders will suffer the most if a lockdown is imposed,”
The minister said that hospitals in major cities are under pressure. “In Lahore, 90% of ICU beds are full.” Oxygen beds in Gujranwala and Multan have reached 88% and 85% capacity.
The coronavirus positivity ratio in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming. “The infection rate in Mardan has reached 40%,” Chaudhry revealed.
Five hundred and sixty ventilators in Pakistan are presently occupied.
