Daily Covid fatalities hit a grim milestone

For the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Punjab, the death toll from the disease in the province crossed the 100 mark on Tuesday as 104 fatalities were confirmed across the 36 districts in 24 hours.

It was the third time in past 20 days that the death toll surpassed the previous record. A high number of coronavirus patients have arrived in hospitals during the ongoing month amid the third wave of the pandemic.

Of the 104 deaths in the province, as many as 46 were reported in Lahore, making it the deadliest day in the city during the pandemic. The earlier highest death toll in a day for the provincial capital was 44, recorded on April 6.

Health experts told The Express Tribune that the third wave of Covid-19 was most dangerous for those over 60 years of age and patients of heart problems, diabetes and blood pressure, stressing that they should strictly follow the precautionary standard operating procedures (SOPs).

They cautioned that the pandemic was getting out of control in six major districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Okara, Faisalabad and Sargodha, where emergency and coronavirus wards were almost full and patients were sufferings due to the unavailability of beds and other facilities in hospitals.

As the province experienced it's worst day amid the pandemic, the primary and secondary healthcare department's spokesperson said 3,228 new patients of Covid-19 were brought to hospitals.

After the 104 fresh fatalities, the total death toll from the disease in the province since February last year reached 7,561 and the total number of patients 273,566.

The unabated rise in the casualties and infection rate has shocked health officials who feel that the provincial departments appear to be faltering in their efforts to curb the third wave of Covid-19.

"We are seeing such a situation for the first time as the highest daily death toll in Punjab was surpassed thrice in the past 20 days. The 88 deaths recorded on April 6 was the record figure for the province till then. However, April 18 brought a death toll of 97 and now 104 deaths were confirmed in a day," an official of the provincial health ministry said.

"The last 20 days have been the worst and it is beyond our comprehension to foresee where the situation is headed. However, one thing is clear that there are flaws and mismanagement at the administrative level in the primary and secondary healthcare department," the official said.

He said the authorities could not solely blame the citizens for the deterioration of the situation as there was almost a semi-lockdown in Punjab with business restrictions and smart lockdowns in big cities.

It was time that Punjab government should ask senior officials in the health ministry and department about their performance, he added.

When contacted, Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department spokesperson Sayed Hamad Raza said the department was concerned over increasing deaths and continuously updating the chief minister about the alarming situation.

He said the health department had suggested strict restrictions and more smart lockdowns would be imposed in the coming days.

"We are analysing the facts and the data and restrictions will be imposed in the worst-hit districts and cities.

"We are carrying out vaccination of people and there are enough facilities in public hospitals but there is utmost need of the citizens following the SOPs because the situation is alarming," the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Public Health's Dean Dr Zarafshan Tahir said, "The deaths reported this months are mostly of people aged above 60 or suffering from blood pressure, diabetes or heart illness. Such people should avoid going out of homes these days."

She said a major reason for the increasing deaths was that the people were not following SOPs and taking the disease seriously.

At least 1,748 new patients of coronavirus were confirmed in Lahore on Tuesday, followed by Faisalabad with 146, Rawalpindi 139, Sargodha 105, Multan 102 and Okara 100.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2021.