ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan has urged the people of Pakistan to strictly follow the precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“The second wave of novel coronavirus is getting intensified as 89 people have died of the pandemic during the last 24 hours,” he said while addressing a press conference after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting.
The special assistant further said, “By following the SOPs, including wearing of face mask and social distancing, we will be able to overcome the second wave as well.”
According to the coronavirus monitoring department, the countrywide positivity ratio of COVID-19 infections jumped to 8.58 percent in the past 24 hours. Karachi recorded the highest positivity ratio at 21.8 percent followed by Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Mirpur 18.31 percent.
Meanwhile, Muzaffarabad recorded a positivity ratio of 16 percent, Peshawar 14.91 percent, Abbottabad 13.35 percent, Hyderabad 9.15 percent, Rawalpindi 8.51 percent, Lahore 5.98 percent, Islamabad 4.88 percent, Quetta 4.81 percent, Swat 4.04 percent, Faisalabad 3.73 percent and Multan 2.38 percent.
Sindh recorded the highest Covid-19 positivity ratio which was 13.87 percent, followed by Azad Kashmir 9.77 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 9.67 percent, Balochistan 8.68 percent, and Gilgit Baltistan 2.87 percent.
Earlier on December 7, Dr Faisal Sultan informed that health authorities were negotiating with China and Russia, among others, to procure coronavirus vaccines. “We are in talks with China, Russia and some other countries for procurement of the [Covid-19] vaccine after narrowing down our priority list,” he added.
“There is nothing final yet; however, I can tell you that we have to rely on more than one source,” the SAPM said, adding, “We will procure the vaccine only after its efficacy and safety is proven.”
