LAHORE: Significant decline in wave of corona pandemic was witnessed in the province of Punjab, as out of 18,542 Covid-19 tests conducted during the last 24 hours, as many as 109 fresh virus cases and 13 fatalities were reported across the province taking the provincial tally of cases to 345,655 and death toll to 10,713.
With the recovery of 245 more virus patients, the number of recovered patients in the province has reached 326,029. On the other hand, as many as 1,110 coronavirus recoveries were reported across the country during the last 24 hours taking the tally of recoveries to 889,944. About 1,995 coronavirus patients are still in critical condition.
Moreover, the coronavirus drive across the province is underway. A large number of people thronged vaccination centres at Lahore on Saturday to get the covid-19 vaccine. Currently, the Chinese vaccine is being administered. All vaccination centers in the city will be closed on Sunday, a spokesman of Health department said.
In Lahore, 97 fresh virus cases and six deaths were reported during the last 24 hours. Health professionals attributed surge in cases in Lahore to non-implementation of Corona SOPs. They warned that situation may aggravate if SOPs are not followed.
The markets in the provincial metropolis are thronged by the people but Corona SOPs are not being implemented, as neither social distancing nor masks are being worn by the visitors. Likewise, in public parks, the visitors are not wearing masks.
As per breakup of corona cases and deaths in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 178,132 cases and 4,310 deaths, Rawalpindi 26,272 cases and 1,522 deaths, Faisalabad 21,382 cases and 1,154 deaths, Multan 17,835 cases and 852 deaths, Sargodha 8,422 cases and 288 deaths, Sheikhupura 3,792 cases and 117 deaths and Sialkot reported 7,048 cases and 232 deaths.
On the other hand, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, while chairing the 13th meeting of Board of Governor at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) said they are trying to make PKLI useful for not only Punjab, but also for Pakistan.
She said: "The PKLI is moving to the right direction and serving people under leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PKLI has performed 70 liver transplants within a short span of time. The PKLI has performed 157 Kidney transplants so far. The functioning of the PKLI has helped us save a lot of resources. The PKLI shall continue to serve people. Free dialysis shall facility and the Bone Marrow Transplant facility shall be provided very soon here. We want to see the PKLI emerging as a Teaching Institution."
Further, the Punjab government has released Rs 16.8 million for the heirs of 9 employees of Lahore General Hospital/PGMI who died during their service.
Principal Ameer uddin Medical College Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar said that it is the moral and legal obligation of all government employees also to perform their duties with integrity and conscientiousness, especially in the medical sector.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021