Sufficient Oxygen available for coronavirus patients in Punjab: Yasmin

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Sunday that sufficient oxygen was available for coronavirus patients in the hospitals across the province.

Addressing a press conference, she said the health department had imposed a ban on elective or scheduled operation in the hospitals for two weeks to save oxygen, adding that the Industrial Secretary had also been asked to cut short the supply of oxygen to factories for a few weeks to avoid any emergency need of oxygen for coronavirus cases.

The minister said that a sufficient stock of coronavirus vaccine was also available in the province, adding that 391,000 doses were available in the stock, whereas 250,000 more doses were coming on Monday.

She said the rate of vaccination to citizens in Punjab was higher than the other provinces of the country, adding that 934,170 citizens had so far been vaccinated altogether.

The minister informed that a special bus service on specific routes of big cities were being introduced for citizens to come and go for vaccination centres.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said the province had witnessed a significant increase in coronavirus positivity rate to 20 per cent in the provincial capital while 27 and 23 per cent in Faisalabad and Multan, respectively.

She said, in Lahore, 21 hospitals of the public sector while 26 hospitals of the private sectors were providing healthcare facilities to coronavirus patients.

She vowed that by the end of May, the Punjab would successfully complete vaccination of 50 years and above age group citizens across the province.

She said that several helplines had been established for citizens including 042-99211136 and 03041111781 besides 1033 and 1122.

The minister urged the people to wear masks and practice social distancing. She warned that in case of violation of SOPs, the government was thinking of complete lockdown, however she added that commercial activities were also as important.