LAHORE: The positivity of coronavirus jumps to 14.02 percent in Punjab, as out of 21,325 Covid-19 tests conducted during the last 24 hours, as many as 2,990 fresh virus cases and 62 fatalities were reported across the province taking the provincial tally of cases to 240,584 and death toll to 6,793.

With the recovery of 912 more virus patients, the number of recovered patients in the province has reached to 198,753. In Lahore, 1,575 fresh Covid-19 cases and 28 deaths were reported during the last 24 hours. About 75 percent ventilators in the provincial metropolis are filled with critical patients. However, there is burden of patients in the public and private sector hospitals. The positivity rate of the virus again shoots up to 22 percent.

As per break up of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 127,968 cases and 2,788 deaths, Rawalpindi 19,789 cases and 1,080 deaths, Faisalabad 14,445 cases and 664 deaths, Multan 11,423 cases and 443 deaths, D.G.Khan 2533 cases and 70 deaths, Bahawalpur 5249 cases and 171 deaths, Gujranwala 6,466 cases and 210 deaths, Gujrat 6,117 cases and 99 deaths, Rahim Yar Khan 3,344 cases and 154 deaths, Sargodha 4,619 cases and 173 deaths, Sheikhupura 2,430 cases and 68 deaths and Sialkot reported 5,695 cases and 195 deaths.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in a briefing said: “Punjab will procure one million doses of corona vaccine following approval of the Cabinet in near future.”

She said: “After the approval of the cabinet, one million doses will be procured in the first phase. A Technical Advisory Group has been constituted under Special Secretary Primary Healthcare Department Babar Aman for the procurement of the vaccine.”

She said the Punjab government is utilizing all-out resources to control the pandemic. The vaccination of elderly citizens is underway. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and with the support of the people, Punjab will overcome the pandemic, she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021