LAHORE: As many as 1,198 new Covid positive cases and 22 deaths were reported in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

The positivity rate of the virus was recorded 11 per cent in Rawalpindi, 8.9 per cent in Multan and 8.8 per cent in Lahore.

Overall percentage of the virus in Punjab reached 5.8pc, according to the Covid update released by the Punjab Health Department here on Wednesday.

Punjab Health Secretary Sarah Aslam said the infection rate was on the rise because of the presence of the Delta variant which had been highly infectious as compare to other kinds of the viruses reported in Punjab.

She said the death toll was also increasing as this variant was also deadly as compare to the other ones, stressing upon the public to get them vaccinated as soon as possible.

The total number of positive cases had reached 374,917 while deaths 11,432, the health secretary said adding the Punjab government had established over 650 centres to facilitate public to get jabs.

She said the timely and complete vaccination had been the only solution to stop spread of the coronavirus which was on the rise in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2021