LAHORE: Pakistan reported 2,697 fresh cases of the Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, according to the National Command and Operation Centre, wherein the statistics highlight a positivity ratio below 5 percent for the sixth consecutive day.
The NCOC also reported that the death toll climbed to 20,736 after 56 more people succumbed to the deadly virus during the same period.
A total of 55,965 samples were tested, out of which 2,697 were declared positive, the NCOC said. The positivity ratio of infections was recorded at 4,81 per cent, it added.
2,620 more people recovered, taking the tally of patients recovering from the disease to 839,322. There are a total of 4,017 critical cases in the country at present, the NCOC said.
Pakistan’s current coronavirus positivity ratio was recorded at 4.81 percent, which has encouraged factions of the populace to look forward to a return to normalcy.
It bears mentioning that the NCOC has decided to establish separate vaccination centres for the teachers and non-teaching staff. The decision has been made to expedite the vaccination process for the teachers and the non-teaching staff amid the third wave of the pandemic.
New centres would be established countrywide at the tehsil level, while separate counters would be reserved for the teachers at the already functional vaccination centres countrywide, it emerged.
The NCOC observed that the pressure is mounting at the vaccination centres, after the opening of walk-in service for them and the separate centres to ensure rapidly vaccination of the teachers.
The body has directed to complete vaccination of the teachers by June 5, said sources. It may be noted that the walk-in vaccination service was opened on May 29.
On May 20, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood had announced that teachers will be inoculated against Covid-19 on a priority basis. Taking to his official Twitter account, the federal education minister said that the government has decided to give priority to teachers in vaccination.
To this effect, the Punjab Higher Education Department has issued a notification for reopening of all private and government colleges across the province from May 31 (Monday) with strict implementation of Covid-19 SOPs.
HED Secretary Nadeem Mehboob said in a statement on Saturday that all private and public colleges will be re-opened across the province except in Khanewal and Rahim Yar Khan as both districts have a high coronavirus positivity ratio.
The colleges in both the districts will remain closed till further orders, according to the notification.
The authorities have also directed all teachers and other staff members to get coronavirus vaccine by June 5.
Separately, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Sunday that Punjab has reported 696 cases in the last 24 hours and 22 people lost their lives, adding that the coronavirus situation in the province was improving, citing lower positivity rates and bed occupancy.
Speaking at a press conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat, the health
minister said that so far 339,073 positive cases have been reported in the province and
9,982 people lost their lives in the province.
Present on the occasion were Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Sarah Aslam, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Special Secretary Silwat Saeed, Consultant Professor Asad Aslam Khan and Ahmer Khan.
The provincial health minister said that in the last 24 hours, 22,339 tests were performed and overall 51,23,420 tests have been performed so far. As per data of last three days, the
positivity ratio has not exceeded over 8 percent in the province and in most districts, it is
below 5 percent. In Punjab’s DHQs and THQs, 410 patients are under treatment at 2897
beds allocated for patients. In the DHQs and THQs hospitals, 9 ventilators are being
used out of 112 reserved for patients.
Smart lockdowns have been enforced in Multan’s six areas where movement of 736 people have been placed under restriction. She added, “The positivity ratio in Lahore is 1.5 percent.”
As per data of SH Department, at Multan Teaching Hospitals, from among the reserved resources, 67 percent are being utilised by patients. In Lahore’s Teaching Hospitals, 38 percent resources are utilised by coronavirus patients from the reserved. The ratio was 16 percent in Rawalpindi and 32 percent in Bahawalpur.
“Alhumdulilah, there has been a considerable decrease in corona cases in Punjab. There was steep rise in the number of cases last month in Gujranwala, but currently only 20 percnet of the reserved resources are under use of covid-19 patients. In High Dependency Units of Punjab’s hospitals, there has been a decrease in cases. Except Multan, less than 40 bed occupancy is being reported in High Dependency Units of Punjab,” she said.
The number of recovered patients hopefully is much higher than the new admissions. The reason for improvement in situation is awareness in Public and implementation of SOPs, the health minister added.
“There has been a considerable benefit of imposing lockdowns one week before Eidul Fitr. There is complete ban on all commercial activities after 8 Pm. Except essential items, the markets are closed on Saturday and Sundays,” she maintained.
The health minister further said, “By implementation of SOPs and after mass
vaccination, the chain of transmission can be interrupted significantly. By increasing the
number of vaccinated people in three to four months, there will be significant decline in
cases.
“Currently. the government is using Sinopharm, Sinovac, Astrazeneca and
Cansino. Sinopharm is being administered to those wanting second dose. Sinovac is
being administered at all vaccination centers. Astrazeneca was being used earlier as
well.”
Punjab has around 1.4 million doses available, she informed. Pakistan has started Cansino
packaging and formulation which is being prepared in the National Institute of Health.
After 3 months, Pakistan will start producing its vaccine in adequate quantity. Punjab is
vaccinating more than 150,000 people per day. In the last 24 hours, 159,000 people
were vaccinated. The number of vaccination centers has been increased to 356 which
will help the system reach the target of 500,000 per day.
In June, we will achieve the daily average of 250,000 to 300,00 and from July more than 4000,000 people will be vaccinated on daily basis. So far Punjab has vaccinated more than 35,00,000 people .
“Hopefully we will achieve the target set by the NCOC very soon. The government has
allowed walk-in vaccination of people of over 30 years of age. The process of registration of over 30 years of age is underway. The teachers of public and private hospitals, journalists, police and all frontline workers will be vaccinated on priority basis.”
