LAHORE: The novel coronavirus continued to play havoc, as out of record 38,811 Covid-19 tests conducted during the last 24 hours in Punjab, as many as 2,837 fresh virus cases and 62 more fatalities were reported across the province taking the provincial tally of cases to 264,010 and death toll to 7,271.
With more corona tests, the positivity rate of the virus has slightly declined to 7.30 percent from previous 7.74 percent. With the recovery of 2,131 more virus patients, the number of recovered patients in the province has reached to 213,896. On the other hand, as many as 4,181 coronavirus recoveries were reported across the country during the last 24 hours taking the tally of total recoveries to 655,000.
In Lahore, 1,692 fresh Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths were reported during the last 24 hours. There is burden on health facilities as around 40 ventilators are available out of 250 ventilators allocated in Lahore public sector hospitals. The HDUs and ICUs are occupied with virus patients with ratio of 89 percent and 79 percent respectively.
As per break up of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 140,708 cases and 3,010 deaths, Rawalpindi 21,563 cases and 1,175 deaths, Faisalabad 15,987 cases and 728 deaths, Multan 12,272 cases and 465 deaths, Bahawalpur 5,763 cases and 186 deaths, Gujranwala 69,064 cases and 246 deaths, Gujrat 6,347 cases and 101 deaths, Rahim Yar Khan 3,768 cases and 159 deaths, Sargodha 5,443 cases and 187 deaths, Sheikhupura 2,684 cases and 74 deaths and Sialkot reported 6,131 cases and 204 deaths.
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid accompanied by chief secretary and provincial health secretaries participated in NCOC meeting through video link and shared details about coronavirus situation as well as vaccination drive.
Dr Yasmin Rashid told participants of the meeting that they are taking all-out measures to control the pandemic while all out facilities are being extended to Covid-19 patients in the hospitals.
"We have set a target of vaccination of 20,000 citizens per day. In the holy month of Ramazan, citizens are being vaccinated in two shifts. The first shift works between 10am to 4pm and the second shift operates between 9pm to 1am in morning. We are using top quality vaccine in Punjab."
She stated that smart lockdown is being imposed in hot spot areas while corona SOPs are being enforced. The process of corona vaccination is being expedited.
On the other hand, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Secretary General Dr Qaiser Sajjad has expressed concern over slow pace of corona vaccination saying it would take years if the process of vaccination is continued with present pace.
He urged the government to increase the vaccination process and give priority to doctors in administering corona vaccine.
He said the existing process of vaccination needs to be reviewed and accelerated.
Moreover, Principal PGMI Prof Al-freed Zafar said that special measures have been taken to ensure infection free environment in the labour room operation theatre of the Lahore General Hospital so that women undergoing the operation should not suffer from any complications after surgery.
Talking to media, he said that one of the benefits of infection-free environment would be that women and newborns undergoing C-section would be protection from infection.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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