Govt to use technology to trace cases, identify virus hotspots: Asad Umar.

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday said that the government will use technology to trace coronavirus cases and identify virus hotspots throughout the country to enforce a "smart lockdown".

Speaking to reporters at the National Command and Operation Centre in Islamabad, Umar said that according to available data, Punjab was enforcing smart lockdown in some 169 areas while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was enforcing smart lockdown in 177 areas. "This could be a big area or as small as one street," he said.

Umar added that the government has completed work on a portal where data will be collected from all 424 hospitals dealing with coronavirus patients in the country. "Hospitals have already started entering their data. Through this portal we will be able to know the exact number of beds, ventilators and patients in each hospital."

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The minister added that the government was also working on a mobile application which people could download for getting information about hospitals and coronavirus facilities. "If someone tests positive [for the virus], they can consult the app to find the nearest hospital that has facilities."

Umar said that this was being done for optimal utilisation of resources. "Through this app, we will be able to avoid a scenario where hospitals do have facilities but the patient is unable to reach them because he...