Amid rising positivity rate in the country which has now crossed 2%, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has warned the authorities and the general public about the foreseeable second spike of coronavirus, which is likely to start from educational institutions as it happened in the US, India, and Iran.
“Unfortunately, the government’s response so far is limited to the issuance of notifications of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), whose implementation is non-existent anywhere including schools,” said the PMA office-bearers while addressing a press conference here on Sunday.
They said that the winter has arrived and schools have opened, and any carelessness on part of the government and the public might trigger a second spike of coronavirus in the country.
“However, the situation on the ground is entirely opposite as no precautions were being observed in schools, which were opened in congested buildings,” they regretted.
They said PMA was concerned about the situation that might lead to a second spike of coronavirus and demanded of the government to act beyond lip-service and ensure implementation of SOPs.
“We appeal to the people to adhere to the SOPs and observe caution, limit movement and take precautions to save themselves and their loved ones from the Covid-19 pandemic, which may prove to be even more fatal,” PMA added.
The positivity rate crosses 2%
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar expressed concerns over the rising number of COVID-19 cases, saying that the government has started imposing smart lockdown again to contain the spread of the pandemic.
6 ہفتے اوسط قومی سطح پر پوزیٹیویٹی 2٪ سے کم رہنے کے بعد پچھلے ہفتے 2٪ سے زیادہ رہی. کراچی، اسلام آباد، آزاد کشمیر میں منی سمارٹ لوک ڈاؤن دوبارہ نافذ. ملک بھر میں انتظامیہ کو حفاظتی اقدامات یقینی بنانے کی ہدایت کی گئی ہے. لیکن کامیابی پہلے کی طرح عوام کے تعاون کے بغیر ناممکن ہے
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) October 11, 2020
He said that in 6-week national average positivity was less than 2%, up from 2% last week. Mini Smart Lockdown re-enacted in Karachi, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir. Administration across the country has been directed to ensure safety measures. But success is still impossible without the support of the people
In order to avoid the increase in COVID-19 cases, the minister said, the authorities have already imposed a mini smart lockdown in Islamabad, Karachi, and Azad Kashmir.
Besides, he informed us that the administration has also been directed to ensure protective measures across the country.
He, however, pointed out that as before, the success was not possible without the cooperation of the public.
8,904 active cases
The total active COVID-19 cases in Pakistan on Sunday were recorded at 8,904 as 666 more people tested positive for the virus during the last 24 hours.
Twelve corona patients, 11 of whom were under treatment, died in hospital and one died out of the hospital on Saturday, according to the latest update issued by the NCOC.
No COVID-19 affected person was on a ventilator in AJK and Balochistan, while 77 were on ventilators elsewhere in Pakistan out of 1,912 allocated for COVID-19 patients.
Some 28,893 tests were conducted across the country on Saturday, including 7,515 in Sindh, 11,185 in Punjab, 3,720 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4,541 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 948 in Balochistan, 450 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and 534 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Around 303,458 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90% recovery ratio of the affected patients.
Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 318,932 cases have been detected so far, including 3,045 in AJK, 15,520 in Balochistan, 3,924 in GB, 17,296 in ICT, 38,329 in KP, 100,687 in Punjab, and 140,131 in Sindh.
About 6,570 deaths were recorded in the country since the eruption of the contagion.