LAHORE: With 31 more Covid-19 deaths, Punjab reported 831 new cases, the highest number in a day in the second wave of the Covid-19 so far, showing a persistent surge in the confirmed cases of the virus in the province.

Of the new cases, 403 were reported in Lahore alone, making it the hotspot of the virus where the number of deaths and active cases of the infection remained the highest since the pandemic struck Punjab.

The total number of the confirmed cases in Lahore has reached 63,601 with 1,408 deaths so far, according to the official figures released by the provincial government on Friday.

The data shows that Rawalpindi has also reported a record 184 new positive cases in a day during the second wave of the virus where the total number of patients testing positive for the virus has reached 12,298, the second city after Lahore where the infection has spread so fast, followed by Multan (8,384 cases) and Faisalabad (7,137 cases).

The other cities that reported new cases during the last 24 hours were Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang, Chiniot, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sargodha, Mianwali, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Okara, Pakpattan, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Chakwal, Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan, Nankana, Bahawalnagar, Layyah, Hafizabad, Vehari, Khanewal, Kasur, Jhelum and Muzaffargarh.

A spokesperson for the health department said that total 15,590 tests were performed during the last 24 hours in Punjab. He said 115,701 patients of the virus had recovered in Punjab so far.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2020