PESHAWAR: Mardan and Peshawar continue to record more than 10 per cent positivity for coronavirus swabs as the health department has opened a mass vaccination centre in Khyber Medical University.

Positivity for Covid-19 swabs was declining in Swabi, Charsadda and Swat where it was registered 4 per cent, 3.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively, a health department report said.

According to a press release, the mass vaccination centre at Khyber Medical University was inaugurated by 102 Brigade Commander Brigadier Muddassir, Health Secretary Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah.

KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Ziaul Haq, on the occasion, said that the center had the capacity to vaccinate 2,000 persons per day.

He appreciated establishment of the centre and termed it a timely step for the people of the province, especially for the dwellers of Peshawar.

He said that KMU staff had been on the frontline against coronavirus since day one. “With the establishment of the centre, KMU has once again taken the lead due to which we feel proud to serve and facilitate the humanity during the course of the pandemic,” he added.

Mass vaccination centre opens in KMU

Prof Zia said that the establishment of mass vaccination centre where vaccination facilities would be available to the people in a clean, safe and optimal environment would also help in controlling the pandemic on a large scale.

He asked the people to get vaccinated against the virus and follow the standard operating procedure for Covid-19 in letter and spirit.

He said that free availability of vaccines in scientific environment was a blessing for all the people. He hoped that the vaccination as well as compliance with social distancing, hand hygiene and avoiding visiting crowded places would safeguard people against the virus.

There are 11 vaccination counters including six for male, four for female and one for handicapped and elderly people.

Dr Khalid Rehman, focal person for the centre, urged the people to use gate No.2 of KMU prior to sending CNIC number to 1166 and getting the code, which must be shown to be able for vaccination. He also recommended strict adherence to Covid-19 precautions inside KMU during visit to mass vaccination centre.

Director General Health Services Dr Mohammad Niaz, 59 Punjab Regiment Commandant Lt Col Jawad Jamil and others also attended the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mardan recorded 12 per cent positivity for Covid-19, the highest in the entire country. Positivity in Peshawar is 10.4 per cent, in Abbottabad 6 per cent, in Nowshera 5.1 per cent and in Swabi 4 per cent.

A health department report said that 19 persons died of coronavirus and 383 new cases were recorded in the province during the last 24 hours. Nine of the deceased belonged to Peshawar, four to Mardan, two to Swat and one each to Bajaur, Mansehra, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan.

A report by World Health Organisation said that 990 patients were hospitalised in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of whom 41 were on ventilator. The province has registered 3,990 mortalities so far. A total of 130,644 infections have been reported in the province. Of the total patients, 121,033 have recovered so far.

It said that case fatality rate (CFR) in the province was 3 per cent. Mardan has 4.6 per cent CFR, the highest in the province.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2021