Pak imposes 10-day countrywide lockdown from May 8 to control Covid

Coronavirus infections have been rising across the country

In order to curb the rising number of coronavirus infections, authorities in Pakistan are imposing complete countrywide lockdown from May 8 for the next 10 days, Gulf News reported.

The Pakistan government has already declared May 8 to 15 as Eid holidays and now there will be a complete ban on unnecessary movement of people and gathering of any kind at any place during these 10 days of lockdown.

Pakistan reported 120 more deaths from coronavirus, taking the national death toll to 18,797 on Saturday, Geo News reported citing the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

About 4,109 more people contracted the infection, increasing the total caseload to 854,240 nationwide.

Pakistan's Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has cautioned that COVID-19 cases might rise again if precautions are not taken during "this 'critical period' when we are seeing the last days of the month of Ramadan while Eid is fast approaching," reported Gulf News.

He also said that there were some 'initial signs of stability' in the third wave of Covid-19 in Pakistan. However, he emphasised it was also a 'very risky period' as we see during this period a kind of shopping frenzy.

"We are today in the midst of the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic," he said adding the public alone could make the battle against the virus successful by strictly following COVID-19 SOPs.