ISLAMABAD: While the cases of Covid-19 and the positivity rate rose a little on Thursday, the country’s over 17 per cent population became fully vaccinated and 31pc got at least one jab of coronavirus vaccine.

According to National Command and Operation Centre’s data, as many as 706 people were infected with the virus and nine died over the last 24 hours. The national positivity ratio was 1.42pc.

The number of patients on critical care dropped by over four times as of October 28, and as many as 1,408 patients were in intensive care units compared to 6,000 patients in August this year.

Moreover, the data showed that as many as 17.8pc population of Pakistan, that is over 39 million people, had been fully vaccinated. The data of the people who have got at least one jab has surpassed the figure of 69 million, which is 31.4pc of the country’s total population.

NCOC says over 39m people have been fully vaccinated

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has set a target of preventing at least 50pc deaths and injuries in road traffic by 2030.

The WHO has kicked off the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 with the ambitious target of preventing at least 50pc deaths and injuries in road traffic by 2030.

The WHO and UN regional commissions, in cooperation with other partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration, have developed a Global Plan for the Decade of Action, which was released on Thursday.

According to a statement, over 3,500 people die in road accidents every day across the globe which amounts to nearly 1.3 million preventable deaths and an estimated 50 million injuries each year, making it the leading killer of children and young people worldwide. As things stand, they are set to cause further estimated 13m deaths and 500m injuries during the next decade, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Road accidents remain a major cause of death globally even though every one of those deaths and injuries is preventable.

“The loss of lives and livelihoods, the disabilities caused, the grief and pain, and the financial costs caused by road traffic crashes add up to an intolerable toll on families, communities, societies and health systems,” said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“So much of this suffering is preventable, by making roads and vehicles safer, and by promoting safe walking, cycling and greater use of public transport. The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety lays out the practical, evidence-based steps all countries and communities can take to save lives.”

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2021