ISLAMABAD: The number of active cases of Covid-19 in the country has declined by 65 per cent in about two months and positivity rate continues to hover around 3pc for the last two weeks, according to data shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

The number of patients admitted to hospitals, which was around 7,000 in April, was 2,746 as of June 17. Meanwhile, 1,119 cases and 46 deaths were reported in a single day with positivity rate of 3.01pc.

During the previous two waves of the pandemic, the country hit the figure of 50,000 active cases and then the number of cases started decreasing.

During the first wave of the pandemic, number of active cases surpassed the figure of 50,000 in June 2020 but later it started decreasing and finally dropped to less than 6,000 in September last year.

Third wave touched 90,000 cases before it began declining

The number of cases again started rising in October 2020, due to which the NCOC declared it second wave of infections, and the number of active cases surpassed the figure of 50,000 in December.

Then again the number of active cases started decreasing and reached around 16,000 in February 2021. Again the number of cases started increasing due to which third wave of infections was declared and number of cases surpassed the figure of 50,000 for the third time on March 31. The number continued increasing and surpassed the figure of 90,000 in April.

In the last week of April, the NCOC decided to seek help of Pakistan Army to ensure implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The provinces and the administrative units sought help of armed forces for implementation of the SOPs. Because of the move, implementation of the SOPs was improved. Moreover, lockdown was announced from May 8 due to which number of cases declined.

According to the NCOC data, the number of active cases across the country was 36,215 as of June 17. The number was around 65pc less as compared to April this year when the number of active cases was over 90,000.

The data further showed that 282 ventilators were in use of Covid-19 patients across the country.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2021