ISLAMABAD: The alarming trend of coronavirus cases surging across Pakistan continued as total coronavirus infected people in Pakistan reached 82,287 and total deaths 1,717, following Sindh reported a record number of Covid-19 infections and 29 deaths on Wednesday.
As of 8:29am the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has reported a record number of 4,131 new coronavirus cases with 67 deaths across the country during past 24 hours, which after the Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah's press conference in the midday has surged to 5,955 as Sindh reported 1,824 new cases and death toll reached 1,717 after the province reported 29 deaths.
After the inclusion of 29 deaths reported by the Sindh, the death tally over the past 24 hours in Pakistan has reached 96, which is the new record as on Sunday May 31, 2020 Pakistan reported 88 deaths.
Following the increasing number of coronavirus cases, doctors and health experts have warned that the infection is likely to further spread unless a strict lockdown is not imposed across the country with implementation of all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah updated about the latest coronavirus situation in Sindh and said the province reported a record 1,824 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 32,910 and national tally to 82,287.
Shah said that 29 more people lost their lives due to the virus, taking the total fatalities to 555 in Sindh and national tally to 1,717. Shah said that 367 patients were in critical condition, while 56 were on ventilators.
The chief minister said that 7,547 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours, which was the highest number of daily tests, so far. He added that the number of people who had recovered from the virus had risen to 16,022.
The Punjab's Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases for the third straight day, taking the provincial tally to 29,489.
According to the department, 1,639 cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 29,489. It also reported 30 additional deaths, taking the total fatalities to 570.
A statement from the department said that 7,110 people had recovered from the virus, while 252,469 tests had been conducted so far. Islamabad has reported 295 new cases, taking its tally to 3,188, according to the government's Covid-19 portal.
Gilgit-Baltistan has reported 41 new cases taking its tally to 779, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir has reported 13, taking its total to 284. Islamabad has also reported four more fatalities from the virus, while GB and AJK have confirmed one death each.
Balochistan has reported 226 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to the daily situation report released by the provincial health department, taking the provincial tally to 4,740.
The province has 49 deaths so far.
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Wednesday said no complacency would be permitted as administrative actions would be initiated across the country against the violators of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in high-risk areas of markets, transport and industrial sectors across the country.
Chairing the meeting of the NCOC, Umar discussed the compliance of the SOPs in detail with the provincial chief secretaries. He said there should be a clear message conveyed to the masses that the government was going to spearhead stringent actions to ensure social distancing, and compliance of safety guidelines in public places and high-risk areas.
"The National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting minutes have been approved with the emphasis on ensuring voluntary compliance of SOPs and strict administrative action against violators. The NCC is fully supporting the provinces to ensure strict compliance of safety guidelines," he added.
Umar said the traders association were responsible to ensure compliance of SOPs, which were being violated in the markets and increasing the risk of pandemic outbreak.
"An effective media campaign is also going to be launched across the country to create education and awareness among the masses for voluntary compliance of SOPs."
Speaking on the occasion, the chief secretary Punjab said there was need to reinvigorate administration's resolve, commitment and vigor for strict implementation of the SOPs.
The chief secretary Balochistan told the forum that positive coronavirus cases had increased after the easing of lockdown.
He added that strict compliance of the SOPs was ensured in the markets and various shops were sealed on violation.
Chief Secretary Sindh said, moving from lockdown to the SOP compliance, necessitates voluntary compliance of SOPs to be encouraged through effective media campaign and mass mobilisation.
He added that different departments were ensuring compliance of the SOPs in various sectors where law enforcement agencies were also assisting in the process.
The chief secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa informed that the traders associations at division level were taken on board to ensure compliance of the SOPs where good compliance was observed in the industrial sector.
He added that transport sector was also engaged to ensure compliance of the SOPs. Representatives of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir also ensured to launch strict actions against the violators of SOPs.
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