ISLAMABAD: The latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday showed that 1,262 more Covid-19 cases and 58 deaths were reported across the country during 24 hours.

It said that 17 per cent of the ventilators allocated for Covid-19 patients were occupied in the country.

Moreover, 2,143 patients were in hospitals across the country on Saturday.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of reported cases of Covid-19 globally has declined for the fourth week in a row, and the number of deaths also fell for the second consecutive week.

The drop appears to be due to countries implementing public health measures more stringently.

WHO stated that complacency is as dangerous as the virus itself. Now is not the time for any country to relax measures, or for any individual to let down his/her guard.

Aurat Foundation reports 2,297 cases of violence against women during the pandemic

The NCOC data revealed a total of 561,625 cases and 12,276 deaths since the start of Covid-19 on Feb 26 last year.

The NCOC said total number of ventilators allocated for Covid-19 across the country are 1,422 of which 243 (17pc) were in use. However, there were 1,628 more vacant non-Covid-19 ventilators which can be used in case of emergency.

Moreover, there are 6,625 oxygen bed, of which 1,225 (18pc) were in use. However, there are 5,400 more non-Covid-19 vacant oxygen beds which can be used in case of emergency.

According to a report “Violence Against Women and Girls in the Times of Covid-19 Pandemic” issued by the Aurat Foundation, 2,297 cases of violence against women (VAW) were reported in the 25 districts from January to December last year.

Despite the problem of underreporting during Covid-19, the number of cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG) is shockingly high, the report added.

The report, launched in connection with National Women’s Day, states that anecdotal evidence has long suggested that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the prevalence of VAW in society.

The report has been authored by Dr Rakhshinda Perveen and published under the auspices of Jamhooriat Aur Baiakhtiar Aurat. Primary data was compiled by Aurat Foundation and SAP-PK district and provincial teams.

As many as 57pc of all cases were reported from Punjab, 27pc from Sindh, 8pc from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6pc from Gilgit-Baltistan and 2pc from Balochistan. Of all the provinces, Punjab reported the highest incidents of murder, rape, suicide, acid burning, kidnapping and miscellaneous violence against women (including domestic violence, child and forced marriages, dowry and inheritance).

Sindh had the most “honour” killings in the country. The number of reported cases of abduction was the highest, followed by murder and rape.

In Balochistan, the number of reported murders was the highest followed by the number of rapes.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, murders were the highest followed by suicides and rapes. In Gilgit-Baltistan, suicides were the most prevalent followed by acid crimes and murder.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2021