PESHAWAR: As the COVID positivity rate has rocked up to 12 percent in most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Wednesday expressing apprehension over the increase urged media to play its pivotal role in sensitizing masses and creating awareness about preventive measures.

Addressing Journalists here at CM Secretariat, he said the COVID positivity rate has surged 12 percent in the provincial capital while in eight other districts of the province the positivity rate has also reported climbing from 10 to 12 percent.

He said the government was taking all precautionary measures for the safety of masses however the disease could not be controlled without the cooperation of people, he added.

The CM urged the media to educate masses about the risks related to the infection and precautionary measures to curb the spread.

According to official estimates, from March 1 to March 16 the confirmed cases climbed from 72,615 to 76,819 in KP. The report showed that the daily cases increased from 191 to 440.

Similarly, the total death figure was reported 2085 on March 1 which spiked up to 2179 till March 16. As many as 2879 patients recovered during the period mainly due to vaccination and the facilities being provided by the government.

Keeping in view the surge in new corona cases, the provincial government has intensified restrictions in seven most affected districts of the province including Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Abbottabad, Swat, Swabi and Malakand.

The government had ordered closure of wedding halls and all indoor activities at restaurants, while the shops, shopping malls and bazaars would be closed after 8 pm. All the educational activities were suspended till the end of this month.

The government had also made use of face masks mandatory at public places and directed the district governments to take strict action against violators.

On Wednesday the district government of Peshawar imposed a smart lockdown in six different areas on the recommendations of the District Health Office.