Covid-19 testing capacity doubles after TTQ strategy: Umar

The testing capacity for Covid-19 has been doubled after the launch of "Test, Track and Quarantine" (TTQ) strategy, Minister for Planning Asad Umar said this here on Thursday, while chairing a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

The meeting was further apprised that at present around 631 smart lockdowns are in place across the country, and the government was taking all necessary steps to avert the spread of the coronavirus.

The meeting discussed the EPI curve chart, decision support system, TTQ update, update on task tracker and communication strategy along with standard operating procedures for Eid.

Umar said that the electoral votes data was the most authentic to be used for decision support system, which was also available electronically with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Digital Pakistan Tania Aidrus briefed the forum on decision support system where the NCOC officials also presented briefing on TTQ strategy update.

Senior epidemiologist Dr Rana Safdar presented the EPI curve chart, and informed that 22 percent health workers were performing duties in the critical care, and 31 percent of the affected had recovered, whereas, over 1,000 were affected due to the coronavirus.

The forum was also briefed about the task tracker system that aimed at recording the directions and tasks assigned to various ministries and departments though the NCOC forum.

The forum appreciated the ministries of Interior, Railways, Commerce, National Security Division, and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for their prompt response and active feedback.

According to the NCOC, the total confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan has reached 48,694, while death tally reached 1,017 persons of which 14,155 have recovered.

The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 4:55pm, on May 21, is as follows: Sindh has the highest 19,924 cases followed by the Punjab with 16,685 cases, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 7,155, Balochistan 2,968, Islamabad Capital Territory 1,235, Gilgit-Baltistan 579, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 148 cases.

So far, coronavirus has claimed 1,009 lives in Pakistan as KP tops on account of Covid-19 deaths with 351, followed by Sindh with 336 deaths, Punjab with 297 deaths, Balochistan 38, Gilgit-Baltistan four, Islamabad Capital Territory 10, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir with one Covid-19 deaths.

On the other hand, the NDMA in collaboration with other partners on Thursday continued countrywide survey and spray operation in locust-affected areas.

According to the NDMA, locust has affected 31 districts in Balochistan, eight in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 10 in Punjab, and five in Sindh.

In the last 24 hours, an area of 469,000 hectares was surveyed and 6,400 hectares were sprayed.

In Balochistan, 3,000 hectares were sprayed, while in the Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh 2,000, 800 and 600 hectares area was sprayed respectively.