SAHIWAL: Coronavirus cases have reached 10 percent in April in Sahiwal division. In the previous two waves, the positive rate was just one or two percent.

This was informed to Dr Asad, chairman of the corona advisory group, at a meeting at the commissioner’s office on Friday.

Dr Sadiq Saleem, health director, told meeting participants that existing health facilities in Sahiwal division have already been exhausted.

He said presently 150 patients were being treated at public health facilities in the division.

The participants learned there was one pulmonologist each in the Okara DHQ Hospital and the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital while there is no pulmonologist in the Pakpattan DHQ hospital. Corona patients are suffering because of the non-availability of pulmonologists in Pakpattan.

Commissioner Nadir Chattha directed the health services director to be vigilant regarding oxygen supplies.

Dr Zahid Kamal Saddiqi, principal of the Sahiwal Medical College, said the situation would be the worst if the situation went out of control. Reports say the coronavirus patients in Sahiwal division are 6,004 while 120 people have died from coronavirus complications.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2021