Corona kills 71 more countrywide

ISLAMABAD: The total active COVID-19 cases in Pakistan on Thursday were recorded at 42,851, as 2,545 more people tested positive during the last 24 hours.

Seventy-one corona patients, of whom 65 were under treatment in hospitals and six in their respective homes or quarantined, died on Thursday, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). During the last 24 hours, most of the deaths occurred in Sindh followed by the Punjab.

It added that out of the total 71 deaths, 41 patients died on the ventilator. No affected person was on ventilator in Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) while 309 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in Pakistan. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 43 percent, ICT 44 percent, Peshawar 27 percent and Lahore 30 percent.

Oxygen beds were also occupied in four major areas, with 41 percent in Rawalpindi, 39 percent in Multan, 60 percent in Peshawar and 39 percent in ICT. Some 40,090 tests were conducted across the country on Wednesday, including 11,495 in Sindh, 16,458 in Punjab, 4,379 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 6,589 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 295 in Balochistan, 328 in GB, and 546 in AJK.

Around 396,591 people have recovered so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 86 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 448,522 cases have been detected so far, including AJK 7,833, Balochistan 17,838, GB 4,804, ICT 35,441, KP 53,609, Punjab 129,291 and Sindh 199,706.

About 9,080 deaths were recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion, including 3,237 in Sindh, 3,491 in Punjab, 1,502 in KP, 381 in ICT, 176 in Balochistan, 99 in GB and 194 in AJK.

A total of 6,176,889 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 615 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities.Some 3,050 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Thursday disclosed that 33 more patients had died overnight lifting the death toll to 3,270.

In a statement issued here from the CM House, he said the overnight death rate was increasing which could be assessed from the fact that 33 more patients died lifting the death toll to 2,270.

He said in October 2020 the province had 119, in November 331 and in December 309. “The situation is quite painful, therefore, we all have to abide by the SOPs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karachi’s District Central and some neighbourhoods in Peshawar have been placed under a smart lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to increase across during the second wave of the pandemic.

In Karachi, the lockdown is till December 31, the district administration announced Thursday. District Central's deputy commissioner said that the lockdown had been placed on the advice of the district health officer.

In the district, only medical and general stores and milk shops will be allowed to remain open. Pillion riding and takeaway and delivery from restaurants will not be allowed and parks and public transport will remain closed. The authorities in Karachi have also marked 21 coronavirus hotspots in District East, 14 in District West, 22 in District Korangi, 13 in District Malir and 21 in District South.

At least seven areas in Peshawar went into a lockdown starting today (Thursday). According to a notification issued by the district administration, these areas are Hayatabad, Aslam Dheri, Qandi Raza Khan Road, Malik Shafiq Colony, Larma, Gulshan Rehman Colony and Hazara Colony.

The district administration said that the lockdown will come into effect from 6pm today. The Sindh government has issued an order, effective immediately, to shut down all seminaries (madrassas) in the province due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The order was communicated to the Sindh Religious Affairs Department, which will undertake whatever measures and actions necessary for immediate implementation. Division commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and other law enforcement agencies were also granted the authority to take legal action against anyone found contravening the order.