Alarm bells ring: Corona kills 100 people in a day

ISLAMABAD: Alarm bells started ringing as the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) Tuesday reported 100 deaths countrywide due to COVID-19 for the first time in the last over three months, taking the overall tally to 14,356.

According to the NCOC, the last time over 100 deaths in a day were reported on December 23 last year. The Punjab is leading the tally with 75 deaths. A total of 69 patients lost their lives in hospitals followed by the KP province with 17 and Sindh with four deaths.

The national tally of active cases recorded on Tuesday was 48,566 with 4,048 more people testing positive out of 46,269 tests conducted during 24 hours. Out of 100 patients who died during 24 hours, 92 were under treatment in hospitals and eight in their respective quarantines or homes.

The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas, including Multan, 67 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 67 percent, Gujranwala, 60 percent, and Lahore, 63 percent.

The maximum Oxygen beds (alternative oxygen providing facility other than ventilator administered as per medical requirement of COVID patient) were also occupied in four major areas of Gujrat, 74 percent, Gujranwala, 85 percent, Peshawar, 81 percent, and Swat 84 percent.

Around 413 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.

Around 46,269 tests were conducted across the country on Monday, including 9,030 in Sindh, 23,664 in Punjab, 6,002 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 6,126 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 466 in Balochistan, 257 in GB, and 724 in AJK.

Around 600,278 people have recovered so far across the country making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio.

Since the pandemic spread, a total of 663,200 cases have been detected including the perished, recovered and under treatment COVID-19 patients so far. About 14,356 deaths have been recorded countrywide since the eruption of the contagion.

Around 4,495 have died in Sindh, 6,319 in Punjab, 2,319 in KP 563 died in ICT, 207 in Balochistan, 103 in GB and 350 in AJK.

A total of 10,153,364 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 631 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities.

In a related development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Tuesday announced complete ban on weddings in the province and two-day closure of markets as well as public transport in a week to deal with the third wave of coronavirus.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar along with Health Minister Taimur Jhagra, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Kamran Bangash said the government had decided to close schools in the province, while offices will operate on only 50 percent staff.

He further said the government had allowed respective ministers to further reduce the strength in their departments if needed. He urged people to wear facemasks and warned that the government would be forced to take tougher action if spread of the virus was not controlled.

The NCOC also launched a helpline for citizens to report any violation of SOPs.

"In case you come across any violation of COVID SOPs, please text at Whatsaap number 0335-3336262," the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Twitter on Tuesday.

Violations of the coronavirus-related SOPs include non-wearing of mask, non-adherence to social distancing, overcrowding at public places etc, it said.

"Please take a picture and brief account of violation and send it to 03353336262 (0335333NCOC) along with following details," the NCOC added, noting the required details included "Location Name", "Tehsil / District / City", "Date and Time", and "Event.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has fully recovered from the coronavirus and resumed his work, said PTI Senator Faisal Javed Tuesday in a tweet.

Faisal said, “Alhamdulillah, Prime Minister Imran Khan has fully recovered and resumed work gradually and started building up his work as per doctors’ instructions keeping in view national and international guidelines.” “May Allah grant health to all. Ameen. Take care of yourself and others. Stay Safe,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan Tuesday said the COVID-19 case positivity ratio had doubled in the past few days reaching 12.31% in the federal capital.

Talking to the media, Dr Faisal said the overall case positivity ratio in the country was 8.83%, 10.43% in Punjab, 8.55% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2.98% in Sindh, 2.15% in Balochistan, 8.98% in AJK and 2.33% in Gilgit Baltistan.

He said cases had been jumping up for the past two weeks and urged the citizens to strictly follow SoPs to prevent increase in the number of infections.

“We regularly monitor positivity ratio at national, provincial and city level and when it increases it incurs burden on healthcare capacity. Pressure is mounting in the federal capital, Peshawar, Karachi and major urban centers of Punjab.”

He said keeping in view the disease risk, certain restrictions had been imposed focusing on high-risk sectors with mass gathering. However, he said an overall poor administrative compliance of guidelines and actions was seen and requested all provincial administrations to seriously take notice of this.

He said there were certain variants of the virus originating from the African states where travel restrictions were being imposed to contain the spread of the disease.

In a related development, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar Tuesday asked all the provincial ministers to employ all administrative tools for across- the-board implementation of instructions issued by the NCOC to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In his separate letters to the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Asad Umar who is also Chairman of NCOC, said during the ongoing third wave, the enforcement of SOPs had remained weak.

“Violations of NCOC instructions, specifically in political and social gatherings, have been observed,” he said, adding that apart from contributing to disease spread, these violations were obstructing effective enforcement of SOPs in other sectors too and sending wrong signals to the general public.

“In view of surge in cases and corresponding pressure on health care system, may I request you to employ all administrative tools for across-the-board implementation of NCOC's instructions, especially those related to the public gatherings,” he wrote.

A day after testing positive, President Dr. Arif Alvi took to Twitter on Tuesday to express gratitude to people for their good wishes and prayers. “I am overwhelmed & humbled by good wishes & prayers that I believe create a palpable aura of healing. Of course, with so many praying for me, I feel better today,” he tweeted.

President Alvi said Prime Minister Imran Khan had called him and shared his experience of battling the deadly disease. [PM] Advised rest, sleep & soups,” he revealed. Meanwhile, Former finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Tuesday tested positive for COVID-19, a week after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced he had contracted the virus.

“Just found out that Dr Hafeez [Shaikh] has tested positive for Covid-19. I pray for his swift recovery and good health,” Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar wrote on Twitter.