LAHORE: The corona positivity rate in Punjab has declined to 7.62 percent from previous 8.95 percent, as out of 16,594 corona tests conducted during the last 24 hours, as many as 1,266 fresh virus cases and 63 fatalities were reported across the province taking the provincial tally of cases to 322,117 and death toll to 9,188.
Out of 63 deaths, 29 were reported from Lahore, three from Rawalpindi, 11 from Faisalabad, seven from Multan, two each from Gujranwala and Sargodha and one each from Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal and Okara taking the death toll in these cities to 3,767, 1,389, 962, 665, 341, 231, 218, 221, 79 and 33, respectively.
In the provincial metropolis, police seen engaged in enforcing implementation of Corona SOPs. In the Anarakali Bazaar, hide and seek between traders and police was witnessed, as a few shopkeepers violated the lockdown to sell their products to shoppers. However police put barricades to stop entry of the people. Similar kind of situation was seen in the walled areas like Mozang, Ichhra etc.
Commissioner Lahore visited different areas and distributed masks among the people. Talking to the people, he said the corona restrictions are aimed at saving the lives of the citizens and hopefully the situation will be improved. He made it clear that violation of SOPs will not be tolerated because it will result in increasing cases and this could lead to extending temporary restrictions.
In Lahore, 476 fresh virus cases and 26 deaths were reported during the last 24 hours. Sources in the Health department claimed that situation in Lahore has started showing positive signs, as the infection has reduced due to lockdown.
With the recovery of 2,669 more virus patients, the number of recovered patients in the province reached to 276,800. On the other hand, as many as 5,200 coronavirus recoveries were reported across the country taking the tally of total recoveries to 771,692 showing the recovery rate of 89 percent.
As per break up of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 168,540 cases and 3,767 deaths, Rawalpindi 24,498 cases and 1,389 deaths, Faisalabad 19,865 cases and 962 deaths, Multan 16,062 cases and 656 deaths, Bahawalpur 7,291 cases and 221 deaths, Gujranwala 7,834 cases and 341 deaths, Gujrat 6,826 cases and 109 deaths, Rahim Yar Khan 5,185 cases and 191 deaths, Sargodha 7,599 cases and 231 deaths, Sahiwal 3,038 cases and 79 deaths, Okara 2,871 cases and 33 deaths and Sialkot reported 6,791 cases and 218 deaths.
While the vaccination of people is underway at fast pace at designated vaccination centres across the province, the Punjab Chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said in a statement that the number of corona vaccination centres is being increased in Lahore and other parts of the province to accommodate more and more citizens every day.
As compared with other provinces, more people are being vaccinated every day in Punjab and the target will be timely achieved due to the increased number of vaccination centres, the CM added.
He appealed to the citizens to wear facemasks and follow corona SOPs during Eid-ul-Fitr prayer. The citizens should also remain confined to their homes to avoid the virus, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021