Punjab records deadliest Covid day

As many as 88 deaths, 2,221 new infections reported during 24 hours

LAHORE:

The third coronavirus wave is proving to be the deadliest as the number of deaths in a single day peaked at 88 during the last 24 hours in Punjab.

The contagion took away at least 44 lives in the provincial capital alone. The authorities are urging people to adopt precautionary measures as the best defence against the virus.

Government officials revealed on Tuesday that 2,221 new Covid-19 patients in a day were confirmed in Punjab, out of which 1,172 patients hailed from Lahore.

 The districts reporting highest number of new cases were Rawalpindi, 227, Multan, 109, and Lahore, 98. The pandemic has devoured 6,675 people since its outbreak last year in Punjab.

The Punjab Health Department has expressed concern over the spread of the virus at an alarming rate in the major cities of the province.

To reduce infection rate, the department is considering stricter and wider lock[1]downs in Covid-19 hotspots. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has also decided to extend lockdown in 13 districts marred the most by the third coronavirus wave.

Read more: Senate passes resolution for cheap, free Covid-19 vaccine

All schools and educational institutes in these districts have been closed in the wake of the emergency. Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sheikhupura districts are under the radar of the health authorities where the infection rate is the highest in the province.

 The NCOC further reported that the highest number of oxygen bed occupancy in the country was in Gujranwala at 85%, followed by Gujrat at 78%.

“The situation has aggravated and now even children are dying of the virus. There is no room for careless[1]ness now and citizens need to get serious about implementing stan[1]dard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid a catastrophe,” Punjab Health Department spokesperson Syed Hammad Raza said.

 “The health department has planned to curb contagion positivity ratio by encouraging vaccination of citizens alongside an effective lock[1]down policy,” he underlined.

 He highlighted that the depart[1]ment was considering speeding up the inoculation drive to increase immunity among populace.

Punjab government had identified nine risk prone districts in the past few weeks wherein stringent restrictions were placed.

 However, the latest wave has defied all measures, wreaking havoc in 13 districts including the nine identified earlier.

The authorities have issued stricter instructions for businesses including cinemas and marriage halls in the districts. Government has also banned intercity transport for enhancing safety.

“The Punjab government is doing its best to control the infection rate among people and is succeeding too but the citizens have a responsibility to support the government and follow the rules in place for their bene[1]fit,” Punjab Institute of Public Health Dean Dr Zarfishan Tahir conceded.

 She pointed out that the third wave has been deadlier not just in Pakistan but also in other countries.

 “The parents of young children should be far more careful as now even infants are dying of Covid-19,” she underscored, adding, “We must follow SOPs to save our families from distress.”

The coronavirus infection tally has escalated to 235,569 cases whereas 196,985 individuals have beaten the virus according to official data provided by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department spokesperson.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Young Doctors Association (YDA) Dera Ghazi Khan President Dr Nouman Chaudhry warned that as per his observation patients are demonstrating symptoms of the UK-variant of coronavirus.

 “They arrive in a serious condition and usually pass away in two or three days,” he maintained. It is worth noting that up to the present the government has not evaluated the genetics of the virus responsible for the third wave.

 Doctors are demanding the authorities to put an end to speculations and confirm the identity of the coronavirus if it is the UK variant or another mutant.