42 more die as corona killing spree continues: Private companies apply for permission to import vaccine

ISLAMABAD: The national tally of active COVID-19 cases was Tuesday recorded 22,184 with 1,163 more people testing positive and 1,035 patients recovering during the 24 hours.

Forty-two corona patients have died of whom 41 were under treatment in hospital, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). Out of the total 42 deaths, 12 people died on the ventilator. During the last 24 hours, most of deaths occurred in Punjab followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 18 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 30 percent, Peshawar 20 percent and Lahore 34 percent. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 582,528 cases have been detected including AJK 10,280, Balochistan 19,066, GB 4,956, ICT 44,516, KP 72,615, Punjab 172,683 and Sindh 258,412. Around 12,938 deaths have been recorded countrywide since the eruption of the contagion.

Around 4,353 perished in Sindh, 5,391 in Punjab, 2,085 in KP, 501 in ICT, 200 in Balochistan, 102 in GB and 306 in AJK.

Meanwhile, the NCOC was Tuesday told that the private sector pharmaceutical companies and healthcare facilities had applied with the DRAP to import Covid vaccine and the process was underway.

The NCOC meeting, chaired by National Coordinator Lt Gen Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, took a detailed review of the epidemic curve chart data and national vaccine strategy. The forum was briefed that private entities had applied for authorization to import Covid vaccine whereas the federal cabinet had also given its assent for private sector to procure vaccine and administer at fixed prices.