1,057 new cases, 35 fatalities: Corona positivity rate drops to 4.56pc in Punjab

LAHORE: The corona positivity rate in Punjab has declined to 4.56 percent, as out of 23,152 Covid-19 tests conducted during the last 24 hours across the province, as many as 1057 fresh virus cases and 35 more fatalities were reported taking the provincial tally of cases to 333,057 and death toll to 9739.

With the recovery of 1617 more virus patients, the number of recovered patients in the province has reached to 298,796. On the other hand, as many as 3,172 coronavirus recoveries were reported across the country during the last 24 hours taking the tally of total recoveries to 813,855.

A spokesman of health department said on Saturday that around 7632 beds were reserved in all government hospitals for corona patients, out of which 5332 beds are unoccupied. Likewise, 1657 beds reserved in government hospitals of the provincial metropolis and 1153 beds are vacant so far. About 446 beds for corona patients are reserved in isolation wards set up in government hospitals of Lahore and 361 beds are unoccupied. In addition, 3541 beds are also reserved in HDU for patients suffering from Covid-19 in all the hospitals of Punjab government and 2227 beds are vacant while, in hospitals of Lahore, 927 beds reserved in HDU and 662 beds are unoccupied.

The spokesman said the health department had arranged 790 ventilators for corona patients in all hospitals of the provincial government, of which 343 ventilators were under use while 447 were unoccupied. Around 284 ventilators are reserved in Lahore hospitals, of which 154 are occupied and 130 ventilators are vacant.

The Punjab government has decided to keep existing coronavirus restrictions in place in the province till June 15. As per notification of the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department, Cinema houses, theatres, shrines, mazaars will remain closed throughout the province while all types of inter provincial, inter city and intra city public transport shall operate at 50% of total capacity. There shall be complete ban on all types of indoors and outdoors gatherings. There shall be complete ban on indoor dining in restaurants. Markets and shops will be allowed to remain open till 8pm in accordance with SOPs from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday shall remain closed.

As per break-up of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 173339 cases and 3988 deaths, Rawalpindi 25231 cases and 1432 deaths, Faisalabad 20679 cases and 1024 deaths, Multan 16815 cases and 722 deaths, Bahawalpur 7765 cases and 229 deaths, Gujranwala 8040 cases and 380 deaths, Gujrat 6912 cases and 109 deaths, Rahim Yar Khan 5566 cases and 207 deaths, Sargodha 8091 cases and 247 deaths and Sialkot reported 6894 cases and 223 deaths.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021