• NCOC data reveals 2,511 more infections, 58 deaths in single day
• National positivity ratio reaches 5.7pc
• Razak Dawood gets vaccinated

ISLAMABAD: The National Com­mand and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday revealed that the number of active Covid-19 cases had increased by about 50 per cent in three weeks as another 2,511 people got infected in a single day.

The national positivity ratio has been recorded at 5.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood received the Covid-19 vaccine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Mr Dawood advised elderly people to benefit from the facility.

The number of active cases was around 16,000 last month, but it rose to 23,355 on Tuesday.

The number of cases started increasing after the NCOC had on Feb 24 decided to relax most restrictions on commercial activities, schools, offices and other workplaces, allowing them to function at full strength.

However, with no let-up in Covid-19 cases, the NCOC re-imposed the restrictions on March 10.

The NCOC also announced a two-week spring vacation in educational institutions in 10 cities, whereas Balochistan and Sindh were suggested to limit attendance to 50pc.

According to the NCOC data, 2,511 Covid-19 cases and 58 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, with 258 patients on ventilators throughout the country.

The vents occupancy rate was 46pc in Islamabad, 35pc in Lahore, 30pc in Multan and 27pc in Bahawalpur. The data of oxygenated beds showed that Gujrat had a 66pc occupancy rate, followed by Peshawar 46pc, Islamabad 38pc and Lahore 30pc.

As many as 2,394 patients are under treatment in hospitals across the country, with the total number of deaths recorded at 13,595.

Meanwhile, Abdul Razak Dawood reached PIMS to receive the vaccine.

“This morning, I received the COVID vaccine. I went to PIMS and the whole process was smooth & very well organized. I hope that our elderly populace will use this facility. I would like to commend the efforts of Ministry of Health & @fslsltn in this regard,” the PM’s assistant tweeted.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched the vaccination campaign on Feb 2 and the frontline healthcare workers were inoculated in the first phase.

In the first week of March, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan allowed the use of Sinopharm — the only vaccine available in Pakistan — for the people over 60 years of age and the inoculation process started on March 10.

However, in view of the high mortality rate among senior citizens, the NCOC had on March 15 allowed the people aged 70 and above, who had registered themselves on help-line 1166, to walk into any vaccination centre to get inoculated against Covid-19.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2021