Featured CoronaVirus in Pakistan - Updates & Discussion

[ghazi52]

Pakistan reports 4,199 Covid cases, 141 deaths in single day

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/web-desk
Web Desk
10:24 AM | August 25, 2021


The fourth wave of the COVID-19 has intensified as 141 more Pakistanis have lost their lives due to pandemic during the past 24 hours, taking the country’s overall death toll to 25,220.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,135,858 after the emergence of 4,199 new infections.

Overall 1,019,434 have recovered from the pandemic, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at6.83 as compared to yesterday’s 6.79 per cent.

The COVID-19 claimed 141 more lives across Pakistan in the last 24 hours, the NCOC said, adding that 5,586 people are in critical condition.

The number of active cases in the country currently stands at 91,204.

Overall 17,397,803 tests have been conducted so far to diagnose the deadly virus in Pakistan including 61,410 in the past 24 hours.

Sindh province is the most affected region of the country with 424,139 infections, followed by the Punjab province which has reported 383,742 cases.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains third on the list with 158,241 cases. Islamabad, 96,980, Balochistan, 31,928, AJK, 31,087 and GB have reported 9,739 new infections, so far.

On Tuesday, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms and the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar had said that unvaccinated people against COVID-19 cannot travel to Pakistan after September 30.

 

[ghazi52]

Asad Umar expresses concerns over worsening Covid situation in country

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/web-desk
Web Desk
11:46 AM | August 26, 2021


Federal Minister for Planning and Chairman National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) Asad Umar on Thursday has said that getting vaccinated is the only way to control the outbreak of coronavirus.

In a statement, the minister expressed concerns over the worsening situation of the virus in Pakistan and told that the number of patients suffering from oxygen shortage has escalated to 5600.

The Indian coronavirus is rapidly spreading due to violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs), he added.

On the other hand, Pakistan has reported 85 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 1,140,411. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,320 today.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 4,553 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Pakistan has so far conducted 17,459,249 coronavirus tests and 61,466 in the last 24 hours. 1,022,847 patients have recovered in the country whereas 5,476 patients are in critical condition.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

US donates 3.7m doses of Pfizer vaccine to Pakistan

Donation is part of the 500 million Pfizer doses the United States purchased this summer to deliver to 92 countries


News Desk

August 26, 2021

PHOTO: EXPRESS


The United States (US) on Thursday provided about 3.7 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to Pakistan through the COVAX facility to assist the country in vaccinating its population against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pakistan reported 4,553 new cases of coronavirus during the past 24 hours, taking the tally for confirmed cases to 1,140,411.

At least 85 deaths were also reported during the said period. A total of 25,320 patients have succumbed to the virus in the country so far. Moreover, 3,413 recoveries were also reported during the past 24-hour period, taking total recoveries to 1,022,847.

According to a press release issued by the US State Department today, the donation is part of the 500 million Pfizer doses the United States purchased this summer to deliver to 92 countries worldwide, including Pakistan, to fulfil President Joe Biden’s commitment to provide safe and effective vaccines around the world and supercharge the global fight against the pandemic.

PHOTO: EXPRESS


Today’s donation of 3.7 million vaccines is in addition to the 5.5 million Moderna vaccine doses that the US government donated to Pakistan in July, bringing the total number of doses sent from the United States to Pakistan to over 9.2 million, the communique added.

“There is an urgency, now more than ever, to put an end to this devastating pandemic, and Pakistan and the United States are continuing to work together to achieve that goal,” said US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler. “The United States is proud to partner with the Pakistani people to defeat COVID-19. Together, we will continue to build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of infectious disease.”

PHOTO: EXPRESS


The state department further said that the US had also given more than $63 million in Covid-19 assistance to the government of Pakistan.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the United States has worked together with Pakistan to improve infection prevention and control, enhance patient care, expand laboratory testing, and support frontline healthcare workers,” it added.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Curbs to enhance vaccination

The government takes an aggressive approach to improve Covid-19 vaccination rate in Pakistan


August 26, 2021

The government is taking an aggressive approach to improve Covid-19 vaccination rate in Pakistan, announcing several new restrictions on the unvaccinated population. As we have seen in several countries, the Delta variant of the coronavirus is still hitting some fully vaccinated individuals, just less intensely. However, it is the unvaccinated individuals that are causing new waves and draining resources by requiring intensive care. Without increasing vaccination rate, there will be no hope of getting past the lethal virus, as more and more mutations will keep coming. At the bare minimum, getting to herd immunity levels will at least allow us to safely return to normal, with Covid-19 being downgraded from a deadly global pandemic to a seasonal nuisance.

Our vaccination rate thus far, just 6.5%, does necessitate tightening restrictions on a public that tends to take even genuinely serious issues very lightly. Let alone the advanced countries like the United States and the United Kingdom — with more than 52 per cent and 62 per cent vaccinated public respectively — we lag far behind many countries in our close proximity. For instance, Sri Lanka has fully vaccinated more than 26 per cent of its population and the same figure for Nepal is 13.5 per cent. In case of India, the vaccinated public accounts for close to 10 per cent of the total population.

Asad Umar, the federal minister for planning and the chair of the National Command and Operation Centre, and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan have announced the new restrictions on travel and entertainment while also lowering the eligible age to get the jab. Starting next month, 17-year-olds will be eligible, with children as young as 15 to become eligible “later”. More significant, however, is that the expansion of compulsory vaccination requirements to almost all public places will now require citizens to be vaccinated.
In line with the new measures, all local and international air travelers will be required to be fully vaccinated by the end of September or they would not be allowed to travel. Meanwhile, those using public transport — including trains, metros, and buses — must get fully vaccinated from October 15. Even people using private vehicles on public highways must have gotten at least one vaccine dose by September 15 and be fully vaccinated by October 30. Meanwhile, From September 30, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, and wedding venues will only be accessible for fully vaccinated people. Restrictions will also apply to people who have not gotten at least one jab by August 31.

Technology is being developed to help enforce the restrictions, which have become increasingly necessary as people continue to flout simple Covid-19 safety protocols, and take the pandemic in stride even despite more than 25,000 deaths in the country. Our only criticism is that the expansion still leaves a few easily closed loopholes, such as weekly markets. These are often the most crowded market areas and the scenes of the most safety violations. As the weather improves, it may be feasible to place restrictions on entry and set up vaccination camps at market entrances, thereby forcing skeptics and less-informed people to get the jab.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2021.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

The Ministry of National Health Services fixed on Saturday the price of a single dose of a booster shot against Covid-19 for persons travelling abroad at Rs1,270.

According to a notification issued by the ministry, the price had been fixed in pursuance of the National Command and Operation Centre's (NCOC) decision taken during a meeting on August 24.

The notification stated booster shots would be administered to travellers at selected vaccination centres upon the payment of the said amount.

It added that the payment could be deposited to the relevant account at all branches of the National Bank of Pakistan.

The decision comes as Pakistanis continue to struggle in the face of coronavirus-related travel restrictions with several countries not recognising Chinese Covid-19 vaccines, which have been administered to the majority here.

In a recent development, Saudi Arabia had decided to allow entry to foreign travellers fully vaccinated with either of the two Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm or Sinovac, provided that they also received a booster shot of either of the four vaccines approved by the Kingdom.

Later, it eased Covid-19 restrictions for fully vaccinated persons, allowing them to directly travel to the Kingdom from countries facing a travel ban, including Pakistan. However, the relaxation is only applicable for those who have a valid residency permit (Iqama) and left the Kingdom on an exit and re-entry visa after taking two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan had said during a press conference that a booster shot could be considered for frontline health workers aged above 50 after six months of their second dose.

Addressing media persons alongside Federal Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar after the August 24 NCOC meeting, he had added, “If this decision is taken, it will be implemented from Oct 1.”

He had further stated that the second category under consideration for the booster shot was fully vaccinated immunocompromised people and if permitted, they could get the booster jab six months after their complete vaccination.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

120 lose life, 4,191 new corona cases reported in a day

Sunday, Aug 29, 2021

ISLAMABAD: One hundred and twenty people lost life and 4,191 people tested positive due to COVID-19 during the last 24 hours in the country.

As per NCOC’s data, the 4,191 people tested positive for the virus after 61,306 corona tests were taken. Tally of confirmed cases has ascended to level of 11,48,572. The positivity rate stands at 6.83%.

The tally of fatalities has soared to 25,535 including the current deaths of 120. The total number of active cases have climbed to 93,107 while 10,29,930 people have so far recovered.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[Valar.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1432572131485884424

 

[Valar.]

In another news,..

Sindh to start Covid vaccination campaign in schools, colleges | The Express Tribune

Health department's 2,527 teams will participate in vaccination drive against the deadly pandemic

tribune.com.pk

Sindh to start Covid-19 vaccination campaign in schools, colleges from Sept 6

Sindh to start Covid-19 vaccination campaign in schools, colleges from Sept 6 Health department's 2,527 teams will participate in a vaccination drive against the deadly pandemic Sameer MandhroAugust 30, 2021 KARACHI: The Sindh health and education departments announced on Monday that a...

defence.pk

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Pakistan purchases 12 MN more doses of Covid-19 Vaccines from China

August 30, 2021



Four special flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carried a fresh batch of 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccines from Beijing to Islamabad on Sunday.

The PIA airlifted the Sinovac vaccine doses obtained from China and brought it to Pakistan for the people under the government’s ongoing prevention and control drive against Covid-19.

The PIA Country Manager for China said, “PIA special flights PK-6852, PK-6853, PK-6854 and PK-6856 transported 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccine procured from China for vaccination of people under government’s ongoing prevention and control drive against Covid-19 pandemic.”

He further said that under able leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Arshad Malik, the national flag carrier had so far airlifted 57 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccine through 47 special flights.

He added, “Till now, PIA has brought around 17 million doses of Sinopharm and 40 million doses of Sinovac and CanSino vaccines from China to Pakistan.”

It is worth mentioning that the government under its mass vaccination drive has set a target to vaccinate 75 million people by the end of 2021. So far, over 51 million vaccines have been administered. Chinese vaccines namely Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino, besides other vaccines, are being used in the mass vaccination drive.

The health authorities launched the nationwide vaccination drive with around a million doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China, starting with older people and frontline healthcare workers, in March this year.