The coronavirus has infected 2,664 more people including Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman during the last twenty-four hours, pushing the national tally to 605,200.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 32 more people succumbed to the disease during this period, taking the death toll to 13,508.
The ANP Spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour revealed on Sunday that Asfandyar Wali Khan has tested positive for Covid-19. In a tweet, she said that Asfandyar has quarantined himself at Wali Bagh Charsadda and requested prayers for his speedy recovery.
“All meetings of ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including “Da Ghani Mela” have been postponed. New dates will be announced soon,” she said.
Separately, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA from Punjab, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman contracted coronavirus.
The former provincial minister after being tested positive for the COVID-19 has gone into isolation at his home. He has appealed to the nation to pray for his swift recovery.
Meanwhile, a number of health officials in Punjab are also diagnosed with the coronavirus. CEO District Health Authority Punjab, Dr Muhammad Siddique Mastoi, Incharge Expo Centre Vaccine Centre, MS Wapda Hospital, Dr Aamir Yakoob have also been confirmed with the coronavirus.
Six officials and 15 employees who meet the CEO Health are currently going through the Covid diagnosis test, while medical officials and doctors of the WAPDA hospital are also reported Covid positive.
Overall, a total of 40,564 samples were tested during the last 24 hours, out of which 2,664 turned out to be positive, the NCOC said. The positivity rate of Covid-19 cases was recorded at 6.56 percent, it pointed out, adding the number of active cases has increased to 21,121. It said that 1,805 of the patients currently under treatment are in critical condition. A total of 570,571 people have recuperated.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has called for immediate measures to ensure strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) amid rising numbers of cases.
Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, said the government may have to opt for another lockdown in parts of the country if there is a continued increase in coronavirus cases. “The third wave of coronavirus has started in Pakistan and lockdown can be imposed in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to curb the spread of coronavirus,” warned the minister.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab urged the NCOC on Sunday to ramp up Covid-19 vaccination efforts in the country. “I would urge the NCOC to expedite the vaccination process & also import an adequate number of vaccine doses,” he tweeted.
“Thousands of field officers/staff, policemen, educational staff, media workers & lawyers continue to be exposed with everything open in the country on the orders of NCOC,” he said.
Meanwhile, the district administration has imposed smart lockdown in 20 areas of Gujranwala amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the district. According to the health department the tally of coronavirus patients in the district has reached 393.
The administration will enforce coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) strictly, deputy commissioner Gujranwala said in a statement.
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