ISLAMABAD: While positivity rate of coronavirus cases slightly dropped on Saturday when a record number of tests were conducted across the country, the deadly contagion claimed as many as 45 lives with the number of active cases increasing from 45,533 to 46,861 in 24 hours.

Of the 48,223 tests conducted, the result of 3,045 cases came positive, indicating that the percentage of positive cases dropped to 6.3pc from erstwhile over 7pc.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, who is a survivor of Covid-19, in a video appeal to the masses called for strict adherence to the health guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to protect themselves and others from the dreaded virus.

In the video message released through electronic and social media, Mr Qaiser said coronavirus cast devastating psychological and health impact on patients. He said he could feel the trauma of patients as he and his family underwent the same when they contracted the disease.

NA Speaker calls for strict adherence to Covid SOPs

The NA Speaker said the government despite its meagre resources had taken every possible step to fight the disease. However, he warned, the situation could deteriorate due to lack of capacity in hospitals if the inflow of patients continued at the current pace.

Paying tribute to the health professionals, particularly doctors and paramedical staff who lead the fought against the virus, Mr Qaiser said that doctors and paramedical staff were real heroes and their services would always be remembered.

According to data of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 3,045 people tested positive in a single day when the highest ever number of tests i.e. 48,223 were conducted across the country. While 2,651 more patients were hospitalised, 45 lost battle against the virus in a day.

The data shows that of the 1,760 ventilators allocated for Covid-19 patients, 281 were occupied on Saturday. No patient in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan was on ventilator.

In Islamabad, PML-N Senator Kalsoom Parveen, who was admitted to a private hospital after she had contracted the virus, has been put on a ventilator.

The NA Speaker prayed for speedy recovery of all coronavirus patients and for solace to the families of political workers and leaders, doctors, paramedics, media professionals and others who died from the virus.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2020