Virus claims another 134 lives

LAHORE : As many as 134 patients died of COVID-19 and another 2,472 positive cases were confirmed in Punjab during the last 72 hours during three days of Eid-ul-Fitr.

According to report issued by Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) on Saturday, the toll of fatalities was raised to 9,322 in Punjab, while confirmed cases of coronavirus reached 324,589 in the province.

After 9,322 fatalities and recovery of a total of 283,524 patients so far, as many as 31,743 active cases still remain, who are either isolated at homes or under treatment at different public and private hospitals.

Meanwhile, the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED), Punjab has informed that as many as 270911 corona patients are recovered in the public sector hospitals being run under the control of SHC&MED and Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department, while 171 patients are recovered during the last 24 hours.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, SHC&MED Secretary Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan said that 7480 beds were reserved in all government hospitals for corona patients, out of which 5084 beds were unoccupied. Likewise, 1623 beds reserved in government hospitals of the provincial metropolis and 1041 beds were vacant so far. The Secretary SHC&MED said that in view of the surging corona pandemic, the department had arranged 3307 beds in Isolation wards of all government hospitals in the province, out of which, 2641 beds were vacant.

However, 424 beds for corona patients are reserved in isolation wards set up in government hospitals of Lahore and 331 beds are unoccupied. In addition, 3408 beds are also reserved in HDU for patients suffering from Covid-19 in all the hospitals of Punjab government and 2057 beds are vacant while, in hospitals of Lahore, 927 beds reserved in HDU and 626 beds are unoccupied, Nabeel Awan added.

The Secretary SHC&MED said the health department had arranged 765 ventilators for corona patients in all hospitals of the provincial government, of which 379 ventilators were under use while 386 were unoccupied. Around 272 ventilators are reserved in Lahore hospitals, of which 188 are occupied and 84 ventilators are vacant, said Nabeel Awan.