LAHORE: Six people succumbed to dengue fever and 279 others tested positive for the virus in different areas of the province during the last 24 hours on Sunday.

Out of those found infected, 217 were reported in Lahore, 14 in Rawalpindi, 12 in Gujranwala, four each in Kasur and Faisalabad, three in Narowal, two each in Multan, Vehari and Sialkot and one each in Attock and Bahawalnagar.

As per official data, out of the six deaths, five were reported in Lahore and one in Sheikhupura. As many as 1,378 dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals of the province, of them 974 only in Lahore’s healthcare facilities.

Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said teams were conducting anti-dengue activities in the province and appealed to the masses to take precautionary measures against dengue.

COVID-19: As many as four people lost their lives and 70 others tested positive for coronavirus during the last 24 hours in Punjab on Sunday.

As many as 422,433 Covid patients recovered completely and were discharged from different hospitals of the province, while 6,745 were still being treated.

As per official figures, four persons lost their lives because of Covid-19 in Lahore, and one each in Faisalabad and Sargodha.

During the last 24 hours, 42 people tested positive in Lahore, nine in Kasur, eight in Rawalpindi and, four in Faisalabad.

The positivity ratio stood at 0.5 percent in the province, while it was 1.6pc in Lahore, 0.9pc in Faisalabad, 0.8pc in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. PSHD Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said the government was developing new Covid protocols for different sectors to further minimize the positivity ratio till the pandemic ended completely.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2021