Covid claims 86 more lives as active cases cross 84,000

The national tally of COVID-19 cases recorded persistent rise on Tuesday with 84,427 total active cases with 3,884 more people tested positive for the deadly virus and 2,669 people recovered from the disease during the last 24 hours. Eighty-six corona patients have died during past 24 hours, including both under treatment in the hospitals and those in their respective quarantines or homes, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). There were 4,530 Covid infected patients under treatment in critical condition in various Covid dedicated healthcare facilities of the country. The National Covid positivity ratio during past 24 hours was recorded 7.84 percent. The Covid positivity ratio is the percentage of actual positive cases appearing in every 100 tests performed to identify infected individuals. Some 49,506 tests were conducted across the country on Sunday. Around 967,073 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic broke out, a total of 1,075,504 cases were detected that also included the perished, recovered and under treatment COVID-19 patients so far, including AJK 27,507, Balochistan 31,234, GB 8,876, ICT 91,217, KP 149,056, Punjab 365,824 and Sindh 401,790. About 24,004 deaths were recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion. Around 6,235 people perished in Sindh, 11,239 people died in Punjab. As many as 4,570 people expired in KP, 821 individuals died in ICT, 332 people died in Balochistan, 157 infected people perished in GB, and 650 people in AJK succumbed to the deadly virus. A total of 16,551,440 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 639 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities across the country. Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Punjab as positivity ratio reaches 5.9%, Secretary Health Sarah Aslam said on Tuesday. Taking to Twitter, she announced that the total number of coronavirus cases in Punjab has reached 365,824 out of which 336,078 people have recovered and 11,237 have died. She added that at present, Punjab has 18,509 active coronavirus cases, with 1,144 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The day before, 38 deaths were reported in Punjab. Out of the eleven hundred new COVID-19 cases in Punjab, 533 cases were reported in Lahore, while 244 were reported in Rawalpindi, notified Aslam. Expanding on the statistics, the health secretary’s statement reported that the overall positivity ratio for the province was calculated at 5.9% on Monday. Rawalpindi recorded a positivity ratio of 32.1%, Lahore recorded a ratio of 8.6%, whereas Faisalabad recorded a ratio of 2.0%. Multan and Gujranwala recorded a positive rate of 6.9% and 1.3%, respectively. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday announced special guidelines to guard against the spread of COVID-19 during Muharram. According to the NCOC, the guidelines have been issued keeping in view the various recommendations forwarded by the ulema. The NCOC statement stressed that all majalis (gatherings) and juloos (processions) must be held in accordance with the government-mandated coronavirus safety protocols. This means that during majalis and juloos, all participants must ensure they wear a mask and maintain social distancing. The organisers, for their part, must use thermal screening devices to check the temperatures of participants before permitting them entry. They must also guarantee the provision of hand sanitisers and masks to those without any. The NCOC said that all gatherings must be held in large places that are well ventilated, adding that private gatherings at homes must be avoided. According to the NCOC, the administration may use the services of Razakars for the enforcement of coronavirus safety protocols, if needed. It mandated the display of all coronavirus safety precautions in clearly visible places throughout the majalis venues and juloos routes. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Monday sighted the Muharram-ul-Haram moon, which rang in the new Islamic year, 1443 AH. Consequently, the first of Muharram begins today. The 9th of Muharram will be observed on Wednesday, August 18, and Youm-e-Ashura will be marked on August 19.