COVID-19: Pakistan death toll tops 5,000, overtakes Italy’s number of cases
Number of tests being conducted remains a point of contention
Islamabad: Pakistan’s COVID-19 toll on Friday showed 5,058 deaths — 75 of which occurred during last 24 hours. However, the country maintained its overall trend of less than 3,000 positive cases a day by registering 2,751 confirmed cases in a period of 24 hours. The overall number of confirmed cases reported in the country stood at 243,600.
The number of tests still remains a point of contention as 23,255 were conducted across the country in the last twenty-four hours and doctors and health officials claim the government has decreased countrywide tests to show an improvement in its fight against the virus. Previously, they argue, an average 50,000 tests were being conducted.
Pakistan surpasses Italy in number of cases
Pakistan has overtaken Italy’s number of cases reported to be 242,363.
According to the Johns Hopkins University’s Covid-19 resource centre, with its latest figures, Pakistan has become the eleventh country with the highest numbers of cases.
Number of recoveries higher than active cases
However, contrary to these disturbing figures, Pakistan showed promising results in terms of recoveries and the country reported 149,092 recovered cases as compared to the number of active cases i.e. 89,449.
In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the numbers of COVID-19 cases are falling and according to the doctors and district administrations of the twin cities, more than 60 per cent beds allocated for coronavirus patients are lying empty.
Joint Executive Director (JED) of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Dr Minhajus Siraj told Gulf News that the patient average has dropped to less than 100 to the PIMS as compared to June when we received 200-300 patients daily.
“Presently, we have 51 patients admitted in our isolation wards/quarantine centres against a capacity 200. Not only patients’ arrival has declined, the number of health workers, doctors, nurses and paramedics infected with coronavirus has also gone down from 200 to 62”, said Dr. Minhaj.
In Rawalpindi too, most of the beds allocated for coronavirus patients in the Allied Hospitals of the Garrison City — District Headquarters Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital — are lying empty. According to an official of the district government, this improvement is because of the government’s ‘smart lockdown’ policy.
SOPs announced for cattle markets
Meanwhile, the district administration of Islamabad has issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cattle markets being set up ahead of Eid Al Adha in various parts of the city.
According to these SOPs no restaurant or tea stall would be allowed on the premises of the markets. Children and senior citizens will not be allowed inside the premises of these markets.
The cattle markets are also required to have well-ventilated management offices, medical and veterinary camps, spacious separate parking lots for customers and cattle transport vehicles.
Besides, separate entry and exit points for one-way controlled movement are required.