LAHORE: Coronavirus claimed 18 more lives across Punjab including three in Lahore, while 811 new cases have been reported during the past 24 hours.

The active coronavirus cases in Punjab are 19,518.

The Punjab primary and secondary healthcare department stated that coronavirus positivity rate in Punjab stands at 5.6 per cent, while the coronavirus positivity rate in Lahore stands as high as 10.8 per cent. It’s 6.1 per cent in Rawalpindi, 6.3 per cent in Faisalabad; four per cent in Faisalabad and 4.5 per cent in Gujranwala.

The health department is stressing that all people including those of 15 years of age should get vaccinated as it is the most effective deterrent against the lethal attack of coronavirus.

The health department has conducted 14,498 coronavirus tests during the past 24 hours.

According to the health department, 430 new coronavirus cases have been reported from Lahore, 60 from Rawalpindi, 58 from Sargodha, 40 from Mianwali, 31 from Faisalabad, 25 from Multan, 17 from Gujranwala, 15 cases each from D.G. Khan and Rahim Yar Khan and 12 cases were reported from Khushab.

Asserting the importance of coronavirus vaccination, primary healthcare department secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch stressed that it’s imperative that all people above 15 years be vaccinated. He also stressed that people should avoid going to crowded places, wear face masks and ensure social distance while going out in the public.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2021