Punjab witnessing steady rise in Covid-19 cases: Presence of Delta variant poses a huge challenge: health minister

LAHORE: While coronavirus is mutating at faster pace and its new variants are continuously emerging, Punjab is witnessing steady rise in Covid-19 cases, as out of total 17684 Corona tests conducted during the last 24 hours, as many as 415 fresh cases and nine fatalities were reported taking the provincial tally of cases to 349,890 and death toll to 10,865.

With the recovery of 134 corona positive patients, the total number of recovered patients in Punjab has reached to 329,478. On the other hand, as many as 1000 coronavirus recoveries were reported across the country during the last 24 hours taking the tally of recoveries to 918329. With addition of 120 critical patients in last 24 hours, the number of critical patients has reached to 2508.

During the last 24 hours, out of 415 fresh corona cases, 246 cases were reported from Lahore only with two deaths. About 69 fresh virus cases were reported in Rawalpindi with three fatalities. One each death was reported in Faisalabad and Sialkot in the last 24 hours.

As per break-up of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 180257 cases and 4354 deaths, Rawalpindi 27142 cases and 1554 deaths, Faisalabad 21538 cases and 1165 deaths, Multan 18018 cases and 856 deaths, Rahim Yar Khan 6130 cases and 265 deaths, Sargodha 8473 cases and 290 deaths, Bahawalpur 8237 cases and 256 deaths, Muzaffargarh 2300 cases and 266 death and Sialkot reported 7138 cases and 238 deaths.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in a briefing said, "Pakistan is facing the 4th wave of the Pandemic and the presence of Delta variant poses a huge challenge. Pakistan was comparatively less affected by the Corona Pandemic. Punjab has battled the Pandemic bravely. The third wave was deadlier as mortality was greater during this wave. People will have to follow SOPs."

The Minister said that vaccination was being gradually scaled up and currently Punjab had averaged 350,000 daily vaccination numbers. Vaccination and prevention were the only way to controlling the Pandemic.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Sarah Aslam said that vaccination is the real remedy against Covid-19 and its new Delta Variant. She advised the people to strictly adhere to Corona SOPs and get vaccinated which is the only way to cope with Delta variant.

While corona testing is underway across the province at its vaccination centres, Pakistan has received 1,236,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca through Covax, which is co-led by the coalition for epidemic preparedness innovations (CEPI), Gavi (the Vaccines Alliance), and the World Health Organization.

AstraZeneca is committed to providing the vaccine broadly and equitably across the globe, at no profit during the pandemic. Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca has helped to save tens of thousands of lives and prevent thousands of hospitalizations since the start of this year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021