Pakistan records highest Covid-19 positivity ratio since start of pandemic | The Express Tribune

The country’s nerve centre for Covid-19 response on Monday was informed that the positivity ratio reached 7.46pc during the last 24-hour period – highest since the start of the pandemic in Pakistan. 

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was also informed during Monday’s meeting that due to the high positivity ratio, hospitalisation has doubled over the last two weeks. 

The meeting was chaired Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and was attended by Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, with provincial representatives joining via video link.

The meeting was also informed about the positivity ratio in individual federating units, with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) having the highest Covid-19 positivity rate at 11.45pc, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 9.85pc, Sindh at 9.63pc, Islamabad at 8.09pc, Balochistan at 7.73pc, Gilgit-Baltistan at 5.23pc and Punjab having the lowest positivity rate in the country at 3.95pc.

According to the data collected, the number of positive cases have increased across the country, with the highest increase recorded in various cities including Rawalpindi, Multan, Lahore and Faisalabad in Punjab; Karachi and Hyderabad in Sindh; Peshawar, Abbottabad and Swat in KP; Mirpur in AJK; Gilgit and Islamabad, the NCOC observed.

The forum was also informed that the daily average of deaths due to the virus stood at 35 during the preceding week. 

An increase in the number of infections at educational institutes across the country was also reported. The rate in educational institutions rose from 1.8 to 3.3pc during the last week — an increase of 82pc. It was observed that of all the Covid-19 cases in educational institutions, 19pc were recorded among students.

The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) on Monday decided to close all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 and conduct online classes during the time period as the number case continue to increase.

The meeting, presided by the federal education minister, decided that during the time period of closure, schools will remain open but students will remain at home.

The forum, however, allowed schools to call students for one or two days during the week but said the final policy in this regard will be at the discretion of provincial education departments. It was also announced that winter break will be from December 25 to January 10.

Shortage of space for Covid patients in KarachI

According to Express, a shortage of space is being reported in government hospitals of Karachi, with patients resorting to private hospitals. 

Jinnah Hospital has 90 beds for Covid patients, 24 HDU beds and 12 ventilators; Civil Hospital has 141 beds including HDU and ICU out of which 88 are occupied. In Civil Hospital, seven patients are on ventilators, leaving only one ventilator free.

Lyari General Hospital has 60 beds including ICU and HDU which are reserved. There are 10 ventilators currently available in the hospital. The 30-bed ward in Dow Hospital and the 66-bed ward of NIPA Hospital were reported as fully occupied.

In the field isolation centre established at the Expo Centre, out of the 150 beds in the HDU, 70 were being used. At the Services Hospital, 30 out of the 40 beds are empty for patients, with no patients currently on ventilators.

The 100-bed ward at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital is still closed. The ward has been inactive for the past four months due to lack of oxygen compression. Aga Khan Hospital has 30 beds available while 22 beds in Liaquat National Hospital are reserved for patients.

“The second wave of coronavirus is dangerous, the number of patients is increasing and we are still admitting patients. Markets and schools should be closed, gatherings should also be banned and masks should be used when leaving home,” said Dr Semi Jamali, Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital.