Pakistan expands COVID-19 restrictions amid burden on health system

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan on Sunday announced that stricter coronavirus-related restrictions were expanded to 27 cities, including the capital Islamabad, amid rising pressure on the already weak healthcare system.

The new set of restrictions imposed amid an ongoing fourth wave of the pandemic, includes closure of amusement parks, shrines, gyms and cinemas, and ban on indoor ceremonies and dining at restaurants, according to a statement by the National Command and Operations Center, a state-run body that oversees the country's anti-virus strategy.

All commercial activities – except for essential services – will end at 8 p.m., whereas they will be closed for two days a week.

Educational institutions across the country will remain open for three days a week with 50% attendance.

Pakistan is currently reeling from a deadly fourth wave of the pandemic, logging 3,909 fresh cases and 69 deaths over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

The country's overall caseload and death toll stand at 1.15 million and 25,604, respectively.

Some 1 million patients have recovered so far, whereas the total active cases across the country stand around 93,500.

The South Asian country has been recording daily cases between 3,000 and 4,000 for the past several weeks, putting pressure on the already over-burdened hospitals, especially in the big cities.

Pakistan has so far administered over 53 million doses of coronavirus vaccines.