127 dead in a day in Punjab

Despite smart lockdown in several areas and increasing restrictions on routine activities, Wednesday proved to be the deadliest day for Punjab since the outbreak of coronavirus as the pandemic claimed 127 lives in the province.

At least 2,676 new patients of coronavirus were brought to hospitals across the province.

In the wake of increasing coronavirus cases and resulting deaths, the provincial apex committee decided to tighten restrictions in Lahore and districts having over 8% positive test ratio. The government has decided to suspend all business activities across the province from 6:00pm till Sehri, except for medical stores, petrol stations, vaccination centres and other essential services.

The committee decided in a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.

It took stock of the situation in the province and expressed serious concern over an increase in the number of coronavirus cases and the death rate.

The participants paid rich tribute to doctors and other health professionals fighting the pandemic on the front line and expressed concern over the poor implementation of coronavirus preventive standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The committee decided to strictly implement the SOPs and mobilise all available resources to save the lives of people.

It deliberated on a proposal to impose complete lockdown in cities having an alarmingly high number of coronavirus cases.

It also discussed a proposal to dedicate hospitals in Lahore and other big cities for coronavirus patients.

The apex committee also took notice of the black marketing of oxygen cylinders and decided to take necessary measures to ensure their sufficient supply in the time of need.

Addressing the participants, the chief minister highlighted that the coronavirus positive test ratio had touched a dangerous level of 13% in Punjab.

Buzdar disclosed that the government had accelerated the Covid-19 vaccination.

Over 40,000 citizens were administered coronavirus vaccine during the past 24 hours and so far about a million people had been vaccinated in the province, he added.

He warned that strict legal action would be taken over profiteering and hoarding of oxygen cylinders.

The committee approved the recruitment of vaccinators and data entry operators besides doctors and nurses in case of a need.

The chief minister underlined that the government was giving special allowance to health professionals and the incentive would continue.

Buzdar said the government had decided to ensure that private hospitals would dedicate beds for coronavirus patients and not overcharge them. Instruction had already been issued to the Punjab Healthcare Commission for implementation of the directive, he added.

He said the pressure on the health facilities was mounting but the administration and the military were working on an integrated strategy to combat the pandemic.

The military assured its full cooperation to the civil administration for the implementation of the coronavirus SOPs.

Lahore Corps Commander Lt Gen Muhammad Abdul Aziz said reining in the coronavirus pandemic was a national challenge and the armed forces were standing by the nation to deal with the situation. General Officer Commanding 10 Div Maj Gen Muhammad Aneequr Rehman Malik and Punjab Rangers Director General Maj Gen Muhammad Amir Majeed also attended the meeting along with Punjab Ministers Basharat Raja and Dr Yasmin Rashid, Chief Minister's Special Assistant Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and senior officials.

The death toll has been rising in the most populous districts. Of the 127 deaths reported in the province in the past 24 hours, as many as 49 took place in Lahore.

The total number of deaths caused by a coronavirus in Punjab has now reached 8,224. At least 1,257 of the 2,676 new confirmed patients were in Lahore.

The second-highest number of patients was 239, in Faisalabad.

Of the total 296,144 patients who contracted the virus in the province over 240,000 have recovered. The health department has conducted over 4.5 million Covid-19 tests so far.

"Punjab government is actively struggling to counter the spread of coronavirus and our focus is on vaccination, but the situation is alarming," provincial health department spokesman Sayed Hamad Raza told The Express Tribune.

"We have increased staff and facilities at vaccination centres along with the strategy of enforcing lockdown," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2021.