ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday reported the highest daily death toll from Covid-19 since March 3 after 10 people succumbed to the virus in a single day.

Data from the National Command and Operation Centre showed that nine of the victims belonged to Sindh and one to Punjab. Previously, more than 10 deaths had been reported on March 3 when 11 people died in a single day.

Moreover, 737 people tested positive for coronavirus in a single day on Satur­day, and the national positivity ratio was reported to be 3.28 per cent. The number of Covid-19 patients rec­e­iving critical care was 189.

The data showed that Lahore reported the highest positivity rate of 6.61pc, Hyderabad and Peshawar over 5pc each, and Karachi, Swabi, Mardan, Muzaffarabad and Islamabad all reported less than 4pc Covid-19 positivity.

Meanwhile, Minister for National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel has urged the masses to strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures so that the virus did not spread rapidly and the number of critical patients did not increase further.

According to a statement, Mr Patel also directed his ministry and the relevant departments to closely watch the flood situation across the country and provide assistance to the provinces in any health-related matter, whenever and wherever required.

“The National Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Network, Malaria Control Programme and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan have been working in this regard. The World Health Organisation is also providing us assistance in monitoring the situation and ensuring proper care of pregnant women and safe deliveries,” he further said.

Mr Patel added that spray and nets will be distributed in 11 districts of Balochistan to deal with malaria.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2022