SOPs implementation: Corona cases may be limited to 225,000 by month end, says Asad Umer

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umer Friday said the across country COVID cases have decreased owing to effective measure taken by the government and following of guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) by majority of people.As many as 73 people died of the complication related to COVID-19 in the country on Friday taking the toll to 4,004. The total number of cases in the country so far is 197,724.

Briefing media at National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), he warned the situation could aggravate in case of any slackness in precautionary measures. According to projections of analysts, the coronavirus infections could be 300,000 by June 30, however, latest analysis says the COVID positive cases will be 225,000 by June 30 due to effective implementation on SOPs.

He said spread of pandemic could further reduce by strictly adhering to SOPs. NCOC had issued guidelines on May 30 making obligatory for people to wear facemask, wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, maintain social distance and use hand sanitizers.

NCOC also directed provinces on June 4 to expedite administrative actions to check the spread. NCOC also pointed out 20 hotspot areas in various cities of the country on June 14 with the direction to seal the troubled areas to contain the spread.

He said he intends to brief the media about COVID projections by July 31. He emphasised religiously following doctor's directions and following SOPs to contain COVID.

The health system was working satisfactorily despite pressure. He said over 1,000 beds would be provided to across country hospitals by June end. While 2,000 beds added by July end. This would help strengthening the health system.

Paying tributes to Health Care Workers (HCWs), he said doctors and paramedics were all possible measures to fight COVID-19. People should also take precautionary measures to keep the COVID spread in check. This would also save health system from over burdening.

The whole nation salutes Health Care Workers (HCWs) for effectively fighting against the pandemic. NCOC, meanwhile, said that some 523 localities having population of 9,614,535 were currently under smart lockdowns in four provinces including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

According to latest figures, the Track-Trace and Quarantine (TTQ) strategy was being strictly adhered to under the smart lockdowns. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 32 lockdowns have been enforced. The population of some 1,611,211 has been affected in due to the lockdown.

Likewise, the population of 170,000 has been affected in 14 lockdowns in ICT. In Gilgit-Baltistan, 21 localities having population of 153,696 have been under lockdown.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the movement of 780,313 population has been restricted in 257 lockdowns.

Similarly, a total of 1,948,315 population was under 131 lockdowns in Punjab. In Sindh, some 68 localities having them population of 4,951,000 were currently under smart lockdown.

The fatality of 27 more COVID-19 patients raised the death toll to 1,629 in Punjab, while confirmed cases of novel coronavirus raced to 71,987 with the addition of 796 new infections in the province, according to a report issued by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare (P&SH) Department on Friday.

Out of 796 new cases, 392 were reported from Lahore, 57 from Faisalabad, 42 from Gujrat, 36 from Bhakkar, 32 from Multan, 28 from Rahim Yar Khan, 27 from Gujranwala, 24 from Vehari, 20 from Narowal, 18 from Toba Tek Singh, 15 from Muzaffargarh, 13 from Rajanpur, 12 from Sahiwal, nine from Bahawalpur, eight each from Rawalpindi, Chiniot and Bahawalnagar, seven from Khanewal, five each from Kasur, Sialkot and Okara, four each from Attock, Layyah and Pakpattan, three each from Mandi Bahauddin, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura and Khushab and one from Lodhran.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that 1,150 new cases of coronavirus have been detected by testing 5,103 samples while 27 more patients lost their lives lifting the death toll to 1,205. In a statement issued here from the CM House, Murad said that 5103 tests were conducted which detected 1150 new cases that constituted 22 percent detection rate.

“This is one of the highest rate and we have to control it by following the guidelines issued by the experts, the government and the WHO,” he said.

He said that out of 1,150 new cases of coronavirus, 1,050 belonged to Karachi, they include 322 East, 300 South, 143 West, 111 Central, 88 Malir and 86 Korangi.

Hyderabad has 22 new cases, Jamshoro and Ghotki seven each, Dadu four, Larkana, Sukkur and Thatta three each and Umerkot and Sanghar two each and Shaheed Benazirabad one case. The chief minister urged people of Sindh to follow the SOPs issued by the government, the experts and the WHO.