LAHORE: The coronavirus is getting out of control in Punjab as a record 104 patients died during the last 24 hours, the most deadliest day since March last year when the virus had hit the province.

It was the highest figure of Covid deaths reported in a day so far, according to the official figures.

Particularly, the situation is getting from bad to worse in Lahore where public sector hospitals are burdened with an alarming surge in the number of critical patients.

Presently, 212 patients are on ventilators in government sector hospitals of Lahore alone and the medics said that once a critical patient was put on the ventilator, chances of his survival dropped to only five per cent.

104 succumb to virus, 86.5pc ventilators occupied in city’s 16 hospitals

Meanwhile, the Punjab province also reported record 3,228 new infections in a day on Tuesday, taking the total number to 273,566.

It was also a highest figure of daily new infections across the Punjab province so far.

According to official data, the bed occupancy for critical Covid patients at intensive care units of the state-run hospitals in Lahore has reached an ‘alarming level’.

It showed 100pc ventilators have been occupied by the critical patients of the virus at the ICUs of the Services Hospital, Lahore.

The Mayo Hospital reported 92pc bed occupancy at ICUs, Jinnah Hospital 96pc, Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute 87pc, Mian Nawaz Sharif Yakki Gate Hospital 90pc, Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital 100pc, Lahore General Hospital 70pc and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital reported 65pc bed occupancy at ICUs.

Overall in all the 16 government sector hospitals of Lahore, 86.5pc ventilators have been occupied by the critical patients of the infection.

The official figures further showed that the Covid death toll in Punjab reached 3,108 with 145,614 total number of positive cases.

During the last 24 hours the positivity rate of the virus in Lahore was recorded 13.3pc and in Punjab 8.5pc.

Meanwhile, Punjab is starting corona vaccination for people of 50-59 years from today (Wednesday).

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Tuesday asked the primary and secondary healthcare department to make necessary arrangements in this respect.

“People of 50 to 59 years of age may now visit the vaccination centres with valid pin code and the message they got from the government helpline,” she said.

She further said the government had increased the number of staff at vaccination centres and suggested the people to visit the specified centre on the given date to avoid any inconvenience.

The health minister again appealed to the people to follow preventive measures to stay safe.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2021