LAHORE: With 1,247 new Covid infections and 22 deaths reported during the last 24 hours in Punjab, the infectivity rate is increasing in major cities of the province at an alarming level.

According to the official data, Rawalpindi is at the top among others where the positivity rate has increased to 12.5, followed by Lahore 9.8, Faisalabad 5.9 and Multan 5.6.

Health officials and medical experts have showed serious concern over the blatant violation of Covid guidelines on Independence Day.

They said people completely abandoned the practice of wearing masks and maintaining social distance when they came out on the roads to celebrate the national event.

The experts warned the infection may spread in a couple of weeks due to the violation of coronavirus SOPs on Independence Day and the Muharram.

Meanwhile, Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Sarah Aslam also expressed her worries about the frequent increase in the positivity rate of the infection across the province.

She said out of the total number of positive cases reported during the last 24 hours in Punjab, 595 were recorded in Lahore alone that showed the situation was much disturbing in this city which was sharing over 50 per cent burden of the disease.

The health secretary said the total number of positive cases in Punjab reached 370,600 while deaths 11,327 so far.

The health department has intensified the vaccination process in Punjab by administering nearly 500,000 vaccines daily, she said adding it was the only and best way to stop further transmission of the virus.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2021