Covid-19 claims 17 lives in Punjab

Number of new patients since October 1 reaches 11,658

LAHORE:

Coronavirus is continuing to intensify in Punjab as 17 more fell victim to the virus on Tuesday despite the government efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic by implementing precautionary standard operating procedures (SOPs).

As the number of patients is increasing, hospitals have been alerted in all districts of the province.

As many as 597 new cases of the disease were reported on Tuesday in the province, raising the total number of coronavirus cases in Punjab since its outbreak to 111,137.

Among the new cases, the highest number, 238, were reported in Lahore, followed by 111 in Rawalpindi, 63 in Multan and 24 in Vehari. Among other districts,17 cases were reported in Bahawalpur, 15 in Gujrat, 12 in Layyah, nine in Okara, seven each in Jhelum and Bahawalnagar, six each in Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, five in Dera Ghazi Khan, four in Sahiwal, three each in Chakwal and Bhakkar, and two each in Khushab and Attock.

New cases were also reported in Kasur Nankana Sahib, Pakpattan, Gujranwala, Hafizabad and Muzaffargarh districts.

The death toll from coronavirus in the province rose to 2,492, while the total number of patients having recovered from coronavirus reached 97,789.

The second wave of coronavirus started across Punjab after October 1 and the number of patients during the period has increased by 11,658 from 99,479 to 111,137.

According to a spokesperson for Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, instructions are being issued to the authorities to provide timely medical aid to the patients in all districts. The district administrations have been warned that given the increasing number of coronavirus cases, precautionary measures must be strictly implemented to check the spread of the disease.

The government has already started enforcing smart lockdown in selected localities of Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. It has ordered closure of the malls at 10pm besides restricting political and religious gatherings, as well as limiting the number of guests allowed in wedding functions. The local administration has been directed to ensure implementation of SOPs at the venues of events.

The coronavirus committee of the provincial cabinet is also continuously reviewing the situation so that timely steps can be taken to prevent further spread of the pandemic.

According to a spokesperson, the cabinet committee has issued instructions to increase social distance in markets and shopping malls to curb the pandemic. According to health department sources, more than 13,000 people are being sampled daily in the province for tests and there is potential for increasing the capacity. With the health department facilities and private laboratories, the number could be as high as 26,000. The sources said the tests were being carried out after ascertaining whether the patients needed them.

Meanwhile, six more patients of coronavirus died in Nishtar Hospital Multan, raising the total number of fatalities at the hospital to 221. The number of patients under treatment rose to 84. The condition of 16 patients was critical and five were on ventilator support.

Another 87 patients were under treatment on suspicion of being infected with novel coronavirus

A 46-year-old resident of Multan, a woman aged 56, Nayyar Sultana, a 58-year-old man from Jatoi, a 40-year-old resident of Shujaabad, a 70-year-old woman of Burewala and another septuagenarian man were among the victims.

The results of diagnostic tests of 87 patients admitted to the hospital are awaited. In all, 2,669 cases of coronavirus have been reported at Nishtar Hospital during the ongoing year, of whom 945 have tested positive.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2020.