ISLAMABAD: Coronavirus cases continued to surge across Pakistan as the government reviewed its strategy against the outbreak on Monday, including the need to enhance the country’s daily testing capacity.
The total number of cases stood at 8,678 with 181 deaths and 1,970 recoveries. Punjab had 3,721 cases, the highest among all provinces and autonomous areas, while Sindh had 2,764 cases, Khyber Pakthunkhwa (KP) 1,235 cases, Balochistan 465 cases, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 263 cases, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 181 cases, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 49 cases.
Meanwhile, while chairing a high-level meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan was appraised that currently, Pakistan can conduct over 8,000 tests in a day, whereas by end of this month, the country would be able to conduct 20,000 tests daily.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Hammad Azhar, Asad Umar, Makhdoom Khurso Bakhtiar and Syed Fakhar Imam, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, SAPM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPM on National Security Division Dr Moeed Yusuf, Focal Person on Coronavirus Dr Faisal Sultan, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal and other senior officials.
Addressing the participants, the prime minister said that the government is striving to maintain a balance by containing the spread of coronavirus and ensuring economic continuity. It is cognisant of the problems being faced by the traders and is making efforts to resolve those issues with the cooperation of the provincial governments, he added.
The prime minister also stressed upon ensuring an effective strategy and public cooperation for maintaining social distancing and observed that wider public awareness should be created over its importance.
He said that in the sovereign countries, public cooperation is sought through involvement of the people over the issues of national importance instead of using of force.
Highlighting the critical role of doctors and paramedical staff, the prime minister said that they are on the frontline in the fight against the coronavirus and assured that meeting their requirements is a top priority.
Referring to his recent meeting with Pakistan’s top religious scholars, he expressed satisfaction that they took the responsibility for implementation of the plan which had been unanimously agreed upon regarding religious obligations and congregations in the mosques. He observed that implementation of the steps against the coronavirus outbreak is a joint responsibility.
Dr Mirza gave a comprehensive briefing to the prime minister on the latest situation of the outbreak.
Planning Minister Asad Umar apprised the prime minister about the National Command and Operation Centre’s (NCOC) steps and various proposals under consideration for making the strategy further effective.
The prime minister was apprised that special focus was being paid on the capacity enhancement of hospitals in view of the expected situation.
The NDMA chairman said that coronavirus-related material from the third consignment was dispatched to 408 hospitals, and it would be doubled with the fourth consignment.
