Punjab’s daily virus cases hit two-month high: ‘Mini-smart’ curbs in place as Covid positivity rate rises above 2pc

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Punjab on Sunday witnessed more than 200 new coronavirus cases — its largest increase in nearly two months — as Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar voiced concern after the country’s Covid-19’s test positivity rate returned above 2 per cent.

Punjab’s infections have been steadily rising and in the 24 hours leading to Sunday (October 10), 203 more people tested positive, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The last time the province’s cases exceeded the 200 mark was

on August 14.

Nationwide, 666 new infections were recorded, raising active cases to 8,904. Some 779 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country, 77 of whom are on ventilator. Deaths also returned to double digits after 12 patients lost their lives, five of whom were from Punjab.

Asad Umar, who chairs meetings of the NCOC, in a tweet said the country’s coronavirus test positivity rate rose above 2 per cent. In the previous six weeks, the ratio was below 2 per cent. He termed the rise “a matter of concern”. NCOC data showed the three-day rolling average of test positivity as 2.04 per cent.

In order to avoid further increase in cases in the country, “mini-smart lockdowns” have been imposed in Islamabad, Karachi, and Azad Kashmir, he added. The minister said authorities had been directed to ensure precautionary measures across the country. “Just as before, success is not possible without the cooperation of the public,” he added.

In a related development, the government was trying to recruit 10,000 volunteers in Islamabad to participate in phase III clinical trials of a Chinese-developed coronavirus vaccine. National Health Services Regulations and Coordination Parliamentary Secretary Nausheen Hamid urged the general public to take part in the trials which were under way in Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

She said: “We need many more people from many different backgrounds that we can call on for future studies if we are to find a vaccine quickly to protect those who need it against coronavirus. The third phase vaccine trials are free of charge for any citizen living in the country.” Final results are expected to come out in about six months, she said.

She expressed disappointment over people “ignoring protective measures” after the government eased restrictions, and once again urged them to follow SOPs to curb rising Covid-19 cases, “because failure to do so would prompt the government to re-impose lockdowns”.