Corona cases rise to 13,915 across country

ISLAMABAD/MIRPUR: The COVID-19 case load in Pakistan had reached 13,915 with 587 new cases reported during last 24 hours, an official of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Coronavirus said on Monday.

Sharing the data, he said total 292 deaths had been reported from the disease with 11 reported during last 24 hours. He said 3,029 patients had been recovered. He added total 150,756 tests had been conducted while in last 24 hours 6,391 tests were conducted. He said 4,996 cases were reported from Sindh, 5,526 from Punjab, 1,984 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 781 from Balochistan, 65 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 318 from Gilgit Baltistan and 245 from Islamabad Capital Territory.

He said 84 deaths had been reported from Punjab, 85 from Sindh, 104 from KP, three from GB, 13 from Balochistan and three from ICT. He added 872 patients had been recovered in Sindh, 515 in KP, 176 in Balochistan, 219 in GB, 1,183 in Punjab and 29 in ICT.

He said local transmission was reported as 81% while ratio of foreign travel was 19%. He added that 717 hospitals had been working across the country with COVID-19 treating and 3,455 patients admitted.

Meanwhile, the confirmed coronavirus cases in AJK on Monday surged to 68 with nine new patients tested positive for COVID-19 during the last 24 hours.

According to the AJK Health Department, eight of new corona patients belonged to Kotli district and one to Bagh district. About 35 coronavirus patients had so far discharged after complete recovery while 33 were still under treatment, including eight each at District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Kotli and Combined Military Hospital Rawalakot, two each at DHQ Hospital Bagh and Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Dadayal (Mirpur), seven at DHQ Hospital Palandri and six at State Isolation Center Muzaffarabad.

While, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt. Gen Muhammad Afzal Monday said Pakistan would attain the capacity to conduct 40,000 tests for the coronavirus per day.

Talking to the media after receiving an consignment of 18 tonnes medical equipment from China arrived here through a special PIA flight, he said in the next few days the country's laboratories would be able to conduct upto 40,000 COVID-19 tests daily.

He said the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) had collaborated with the NDMA in procuring the medical equipment valuing $50 million from China. Today's consignment included 15 x-Ray machines, 159 ventilators, 200 thermal guns, 290,000 surgical masks, 15,000 protective gowns, 30,000 gloves 5,000 safety goggles and other personal protective equipment (PPE). Three to four more flights carrying mostly PPE and ventilators would arrive soon, he added. The NDMA chairman thanked the NDRMF for sponsoring huge consignments of medical equipment.

NDRMF Chief Executive Officer Lt Gen (R) Nadeem Ahmed said the Fund was procuring the PPE to ensure the safety of doctors and paramedics, who were on the front line in the fight against the coronavirus. He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was funding around $105 million to the NDRMF for procuring more medical equipment, which would be provided to the federation and the provinces through the NDMA. The World Bank would also give $60 million to Pakistan for the purpose.

Nadeem Ahmad said the NDRMF would try to create earning opportunities for the people, whose businesses or employments had been affected due to the lockdown. He said negotiations were nearing conclusion with the French Development Bank for $40 to 45 million to procure more medical equipment.

Meanwhile, according to statistics compiled by the District Administration of Islamabad, there are 235 cases of coronavirus has been confirmed with three death with COVID-19 in different areas of Islamabad including one in Sector F-10, one in Tarnol and one in Rawat of Islamabad territory.

ICT Administration also informed that 1,493 suspects of COVID-19 have been put in quarantine centers in different areas of Islamabad. Up till now 4651 coronavirus tests were proved negative while 29 coronavirus confirm patients have recovered from the pandemic in ICT territory. The highest rate of suspects and confirmed cases were reported in Bhara Kahu that was 104 suspects and 28 confirmed cases.

The statistics of ICT Administration says, most suspected cases of coronavirus are found in Sector G-8 with total numbers of suspects 186, 11 were confirmed after tests, while 95 cases were reported negative.

In Bhara Kahu 104 suspects were reported, 28 were confirmed following tests, 187 negative, while 11 patients of COVID-19 recovered.

While in Tarlai, 70 suspects of COVID-19 were reported, 28 were confirmed, 144 cases were reported negative and death of one patient was reported from Tarlai.

In Sector G-11, 60 suspects were reported, five were reported confirmed and 26 negative were found following COVID-19 tests and one patient was recovered in Sector G-11.

In Sector E-11, a total of 51 suspected were found, while after tests two confirmed cases were identified and 11 suspects were found negative with COVID-19.

50 suspects were found in G-9 Sector, confirmed cases were identified five, negative reports were received of 18 suspects.

in Loi Bher, 49 suspects were found, 14 were confirmed with COVID-19 following tests and 15 were found with negative tests.

In Sector F-6, 46 suspects were reported and following coronavirus tests eight were tested positive and 62 were found negative with COVID-19 and one patient recovered in Sector F-6.

In Sector G-7, 44 suspects were found and following tests 10 were confirmed and 37 found negative with coronavirus.

In Sector G-6, 42 suspects were found, confirmed cases 10, while 95 found negative and two recovered with coronavirus.

In Sector I-10, 40 suspects of COVID-19 reported, confirmed 21, and 22 suspects were found negative with coronavirus and one recovered.

In Sector G-10, 34 suspects were reported and following tests 13 were confirmed and 13 suspects were found negative with COVID-19.

In Sector I-8, 27 suspects of COVID-19 reported, 9 were tested positive and 10 found negative following tests and two patients recovered against coronavirus.

While in Sector I-9, Khanna Pul and F-10, 21 suspected COVID-19 were reported in each locality. Two suspects were found positive in I-9, while in Khanna Pul locality, one tested positive and in F-10, five confirmed following tests.

In Sector G-13, 14 suspects were found while three cases were confirmed following tests and 6 cases were found negative following Covid-19 cases.

In Sector H-11, 13 were found suspects and in G-5, 13 suspects were found. In Sector H-11, eight suspects were reported negative while in G-5, four suspects were confirmed.

In Sector H-13, 10 suspects were found and one was found confirm with coronavirus and 24 cases found negative following tests.

In Tarnol, Koral, H-10 and in Kirpa, 10 cases in each locality were found while confirmed found in Koral one, and Kirpa four were found confirm.

While in Shahzad Town, seven cases were found confirm, in Alipur three suspects found confirm, in B-17, one suspect found positive, In Bari Imam two tested positive, in Rawal Town, one found positive, in Pind Bhegwal, one tested positive, in Rawat, three tested positive.

In Shah Allah Ditta, seven found positive, while in unknown localities of ICT Administration three suspects were tested positive.

Meanwhile, the District Administration of ICT has allowed to open all parks and trails has been opened with immediate effect for the general public.

The notification (No. 1 (135)-HC (G) / 2020 dated 27/04/2020) issued with the signatures of the district magistrate/deputy commissioner Islamabad, says, “In pursuance to the notification issued in connection with novel COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided that parks and trails are being opened for general public with immediate effect. However, the sports grounds will remain closed. The said permission is subject to adherence to the SOPs issued by this office from time to time including the social distancing guidelines only of exercise, walk e.t.c. The Environment Directorate, Metropolitan Corporation, Islamabad will be responsible for implementing these SOPs and guidelines.”