Covid-19 positive cases jump to 10% in one week

Meeting reviews rapid increase in coronavirus

LAHORE:

The rate of Covid-19 positive cases in the city jumped from 3% to 10% in the last one week in Lahore, Corona Experts Advisory Group (CEAG) revealed on Friday.

CEAG Co-Chairman Dr Asad Aslam Khan revealed the facts while briefing an emergent meeting called to review the situation of coronavirus in Lahore after a rapid increase in the cases, jointly chaired by Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid and Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik on Friday. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Momin Agha, Secretary Specialized Healthcare Nabil Awan, Secretary Primary Health Muhammad Usman, and officers concerned attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed, in detail, the situation regarding the fast increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Lahore and issued orders to health authorities to immediately make operational 300 high-dependency beds for serious patients in the Expo Centre.

Corona Experts Advisory Group (CEAG) Co-Chairman Dr Asad Aslam Khan briefed the meeting that the number of Covid-19 patients in Lahore has increased rapidly and the rate of positive cases in the city has jumped from 3% to 10% in the last one week. He said that the total number of serious patients admitted in the city hospitals is 396 while the number of critical patients is 152.

He said that the number of beds available for serious patients in government hospitals in Lahore is 538 out of which 47% are occupied. Specialised Health Secretary told the meeting that after the rapid increase in the number of coronavirus patients, the health department has issued written directions to medical superintendents of Services, Jinnah and General hospitals to operationalize the high-dependency units (HDUs) and intensive care units (ICUs) at the same emergency level as these were functioning in June 2020.