DC rules out complete lockdown on city.

Byline: Khalid Hasnain

LAHORE -- The deputy commissioner claims that spread of coronavirus has massively declined in all those areas / localities that were placed under smart lockdown.

He further says that placing more areas under lockdown a couple of days before and likely in near future doesn't mean that the government is gradually heading toward locking down the entire Lahore.

'The Covid-19 spread in the areas, where the smart lockdown was started about 10 days ago including some blocks / sectors of Johar Town, has reduced considerably. And it is really good news at the time when the whole country is passing through a panicky situation,' DC Danish Afzaal told Dawn on Friday.

'However, I cannot tell you the exact percentage about lowering of the Covid-19 positive cases from these areas at present since a report is under compilation in this regard these days. But I assure you that the areas that were put under lockdown from June 16 night are reporting no new cases,' he claimed.

Claims spread of coronavirus has massively declined

Following direction of the Punjab government, the city administration in collaboration with the local police authorities had placed as many as 32 city localities / spots of nine defunct town administrations (Data Ganj Bakhsh, Shalamar, Ravi, Allama Iqbal, Gulberg, Wagah, Cantt, Aziz Bhatti and Samanabad towns) under complete lockdown, restricting mobility of the residents for 15 days till June 30. Later, the administration, following recommendation of the home and health departments further placed 40 more localities including the DHA, Gulberg, Garden Town and Walled City under lockdown, restricting mobility of the people to avert spread of the Covid-19 infection.

Talking about the methods being adopted to trace new cases and knowing about reduction or increase in the cases, the DC said the city administration's health chapter launched collecting samples in the...