Pandemic death toll tops 25,000

UNICEF hands over 1,000 oxygen concentrators for Covid-19 patients

ISLAMABAD:

The country passed another grim milestone of 25,000 fatalities due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to official data issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday.

According to the NCOC update of the pandemic, 80 patients died during the past 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll since the eruption of the contagion in February 2020 to 25,003. It added that 75 of the patients died in hospitals, including 33 on ventilators.

The NCOC said that most of the deaths during the past 24 hours occurred in Punjab, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the data, 30 patients died in Punjab on Sunday, 25 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 22 in Sindh.

The forum said that the national tally of active Covid-19 cases on Monday was 89,919, one of the highest during the ongoing fourth wave of the pandemic, as 3,772 more people tested positive for the virus while 3,107 people recovered from the disease.

The national Covid positivity ratio—the percentage of actual positive cases appearing in every 100 tests performed to identify infected individuals—during the past 24 hours was 7%. The NCOC update said 5,390 patients were in critical condition, including 486 on ventilators.

As of Monday, the national caseload of the disease rose to 1,127,584, out of whom 1,012,662 people have recovered, depicting a significant recovery ratio of more than 90%.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) handed over 1,000 oxygen concentrators and related accessories worth $1.4 million to the National Health Services Ministry. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan received the consignment.

The life-saving medical devices are used for treating patients suffering from coronavirus infection, birth asphyxia and complicated pneumonia. The 1,000 Oxygen Concentrators have been procured by Unicef with funds provided by Canada’s global contributions Accelerator Supplies Financing Facility.

“The Delta variant has contributed to the current wave of Covid-19 in Pakistan and with a resultant inflow of hospitalised patients,” said Dr Sultan. “UNICEF’s timely contribution will supplement the ministry’s efforts to augment the healthcare system,” he added.

On the occasion, Unicef Representative in Pakistan Aida Girma commended Pakistan’s efforts to fight the recurrent waves of coronavirus. To date, Unicef has delivered over 14 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, while 11 million doses are in the pipeline and expected to arrive by next month.