Pakistan faces 3rd wave of deadly COVID-19

Islamabad: Authorities in Pakistan have cautioned against the third and deadlier wave of COVID-19 in the backdrop of surge in COVID-19 cases recently.

The new phenomenon according to the Minister for Planning, Commission & Special Initiative Asad Umar is linked to the UK strain that is already known to transmit more easily and spreads faster than the Wuhan (China) strain.

Umar said since Pakistan’s first death in March last year and until now in 2021, the fatality rate saw a clear and sustained increase and “We had speculated that it might be linked to this strain but now the international report has also established it.”

Cities with a higher number of Pakistanis living in the UK have a higher positivity rate.

“So this is a very dangerous situation that is developing,” the Minister said.

2,338 new cases

The novel coronavirus cases continue to increase in Pakistan and on Saturday, 2,338 new cases were reported.

The country’s infections have already surpassed an alarming figure of 600,000 and with these new cases the total number of cases stood at 602,536. Likewise with 46 deaths reported in one day the country’s toll due to COVID-19 was reported at 13,476.

COVID-19 positivity rate remained 5.5 percent on Saturday and according to the official portal of the Ministry of the National Health Services (NHS), the number of active cases had surged to 19,764.

With 1,231 persons recovered during the last twenty-four hours, the number of recovered cases had also gone up to 569,296.

Smart lockdown

In the backdrop of the surge in cases, authorities in Peshawar and Lahore have decided to re-impose smart lockdown in various areas.

In Lahore, the Local administration has selected 16 more localities for this purpose after a surge in coronavirus cases there.

The notification issued by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department says there has been a constant increase in positivity percentage in COVID-19 cases in the city which poses a serious threat to public health.

According to notification, smart lockdown has been imposed in five areas in Cantonment, two localities of Data Ganj Bakhsh Town, three areas of Nishtar Town, four neighborhoods of Samanabad Town and one locality each in Shalimar Town and Wagah Town.

In Peshawar too, micro smart lockdown is imposed in four neighborhoods of the provincial capital. According to notification, smart lockdown has been imposed in Street 9 of Sector E-11 Phase I and Street 5 of Sector F-V Phase VI, Hayatabad, Street 3 of Gulbahar 4 and Street 11 of Defence Colony.

According to the notification, no general entry or exit to these localities by any person, except those supplying essential commodities, shall be allowed.

Meanwhile, vaccination of senior persons (above 60 years) is underway and according to the District Health Officer (DHO) of Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia 1,566 persons have been vaccinated at various vaccination centres of the federal capital in the last three days.

Since the launch of vaccination for the general public, various centres have been set up at hospitals, Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals (THQs) and rural health centres where people are being administered the first dose of the vaccine Sinopharm free of cost. The next dose will be administered after 21 days, said the DHO.

In Karachi too, vaccination of senior citizens is underway and by March 12, 1,520 persons had received shots of COVID-19 vaccine.

Travel advisory extended to 18th

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has extended its three-grade travel advisory to March 18.

In the March 2 amended travel advisory, 15 countries were placed in Category C including the UK, South Africa, Portugal, Peru, Netherlands, Tanzania, Botswana, Columbia, Comoros, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Zambia, Brazil and Mozambique.

The travel advisory was valid until March 14 but, after reassessing the latest situation of COVID-19, it has been extended to March 18, says a notification issued by Director of Air Transport Irfan Sabir.