LAHORE: Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday stressed the need for implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) pertaining to COVID-19 as the coronavirus cases and the death toll were increasing with every passing day.

In a statement, she said a number of suggestions had been recommended in apex committee meeting to overcome the COVID-19 and government would leave no stone unturned to safeguard the lives of the people.

The decision of imposing ban on public gatherings would be taken in consultation with other stakeholders, she said and added that the lives of people were more important to the government.

Every decision would be taken keeping in view the interests of the citizens.

She said that the number of active coronavirus patients in Punjab had reached 8,675.

Meanwhile, 601 confirmed cases of coronavirus had been surfaced and 17 patients were died due to COVID-19 during the last 24 hours.

Moreover, 12,038 tests had been conducted during the last 24 hours, whereas a number of total tests conducted all over province was 1726,421.

Out of 108,822 COVID-19 patients, 97,692 had been recovered and 2,455 patients were died in Punjab.