ISLAMABAD: While Pakistan reported more than 4,100 cases after a gap of over two months and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz became the latest victim of Covid-19, a record number of people i.e. 778,000 were vaccinated in a single day.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Health Scien­ces Dr Javed Akram suggested that the pace of vaccination should be expedited to avoid chances of creation of vaccine-resistant virus. He warned that the situation would deteriorate in the coming days.

Meanwhile, highest positivity rate was reported in Karachi i.e. 22.6pc followed by Skardu, 19.88pc, and Gilgit, 18.42pc.

The data of the National Command and Operation Centre showed that 44 deaths and 4,119 new cases were reported in a single day. Earlier 4,207 cases were reported on May 19. The number of active cases was 56,952 and 294 ventilators were in use of Covid-19 patients as of July 28.

In another development, 778,000 people were vaccinated across the country in a single day. The announcement came from federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Wednesday.

“Yet another daily vaccination record set. Yesterday 7 lakh 78 thousand vaccinations were carried out. New record for first dose also... 5 lakh 61 thousand. New target: to Inshallah cross 1 million vaccinations in a day,” he tweeted.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had also said on Tuesday that the country would achieve the goal of administering 1 million doses per day soon.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Javed Akram, warned that the situation might further worsen in coming days and the country might be left with no option but to enforce lockdown.

“Unfortunately whenever the number of cases has started declining, a new variant of Covid-19 having high transmission rate has emerged and then positivity has started increasing again. Covid-19 is comparatively a bigger virus and it has 39,000 positions for mutations and 20,000 positions for variations. The Delta (Indian) variant has emerged after two mutations and this is why it is called double mutant virus,” he said.

He predicted that the situation would further deteriorate in coming days and the country might be left with no choice but to go for lockdown again.

“The government should expedite vaccination so that herd immunity will be achieved at the earliest. Achieving herd immunity soon will also reduce the chances of emergence of vaccine- resistant virus,” Dr Akram said.

He appealed to the masses to wear masks, observe social distancing and get vaccinated.

“All vaccines are effective and, in case of infection after vaccination, there are almost no chances of hospitalisation,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 29th , 2021