Daily Times

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday was apprised that the national positivity ratio stands at 7.2 percent with soaring ratios in the provinces whereas ulema have been taken on board to ensure compliance of SOPs and encourage the masses to adhere to safety guidelines.

The NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar discussed epidemic curve chart data, SOP’s compliance in mosques, shrines and marriage halls and feedback of interaction with ulema where the provincial chief secretaries participated through video link.

The forum was apprised about disease prevalence and spread in various parts of the country. The health experts briefed the forum that the national positivity ratio was 7.20 percent with the highest positivity ratio observed in Peshawar 19.65 percent followed by Karachi 17.73 percent and Hyderabad 16.32 percent. “Around 2,112 Covid patients are in critical condition across Pakistan and the number of critical patients is rising fast,” the health experts said.

The positivity ratio in various federating units was recorded as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 10.79 percent, Balochistan 6.41 percent, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) 4.81percent, Islamabad 5.84 percent, KP is 9.25 percent, Punjab 3.59 percent and Sindh 13.25 percent.

The province-wise Covid positivity ratio was noted in Punjab as Lahore had 4.52 percent, Rawalpindi11.49 percent, in Sindh, Karachi had 17.73 percent, Hyderabad 16.32 percent, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Peshawar had 19.65 percent, in Balochistan Quetta had 9.77 percent, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) had 5.84 percent, in AJK had Mirpur 14.97 percent, Muzaffarabad 10.34 percent and in GB, Gilgit had 9.26 percent.

The forum was also apprised that the meetings were held with Ulemas and Marriage hall associations by federating units on compliance of health guidelines and health protocols and enforcement measures. The federating units praised compliance of SOPs in mosques and enforcement measures and public awareness about pandemic through ulema.

The total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Friday were recorded at 45,533 as 3,113 more people tested positive for the deadly virus during the last 24 hours. Fifty-four corona patients, 46 of whom were under treatment in hospital and eight out of hospital died on Thursday, according to the latest update issued by the NCOC.

No Covid-affected person is on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan, while 276 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in Pakistan, out of 1,772 allocated for COVID-19 patients.

Some 43,214 tests were conducted across the country on Thursday, including 10,585 in Sindh, 18,198 in Punjab, 4,899 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 7,228 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 1,030 in Balochistan, 312 in GB, and 908 in AJK. Around 335,881 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 86 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 389,311 cases were detected so far, including AJK 6,501, Balochistan 17,008, GB 4,598, ICT 28,980, KP 46,281, Punjab 117,160 and Sindh 168,783.

About 7,897 deaths were recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion, including 2,885 Sindh among 13 of them died in hospital and six out of hospital on Thursday, 2,945 in Punjab 22 of them died in hospital on Thursday, 1,346 in KP two of them died in hospital on Thursday, 305 in ICT among eight of them died in hospital on Thursday, 165 in Balochistan, 96 in GB and 155 in AJK one of them died in hospital and two out of hospital died on Thursday.

A total of 5,386,916 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 615 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities. Some 2,647 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country.

Pakistan has reported 1,489 coronavirus recoveries during the last 24 hours, according to the government’s portal for tracking the spread of the virus in the country. The total has risen to 335,881 while the recovery rate is 86.3 per cent.

Senior Awami National Party (ANP) MPA Samar Haroon Bilour was tested positive for Corona on Friday. Samar Haroon Bilour, who is also member of media committee of PDM, has quarantined herself after tested positive for Covid-19.

Hostels of Peshawar University and its district campuses were closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus on Friday. The university’s registrar office said that no student will be allowed to stay at the hotel till further orders.