Says Oxygen supply is satisfactory in Punjab
Staff Reporter
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Sunday said that Coronavirus positivity ratio is increasing at an alarming level and stricter lockdowns may be enforced if people did not comply with SOPs.
Approximately 33,000 people in coronavirus hotspots across Punjab are under a complete lockdown, Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Yasmin Rashid said.
In a media briefing on Sunday, she said that the positivity rate in the province has increased.
In Lahore, the rate has increased to 20%, while Faisalabad and Multan reported an infection rate of 27% and 23%.
The Health Minister, however, said that oxygen supply in the province is satisfactory at the moment as 91 percent of oxygen is being used for medical services only and the government has put a ban on elective surgeries for the next two weeks to improve the provision of medical oxygen.
She informed that the Punjab government has decided that the medical oxygen will only be given to emergency surgeries.
Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the Primary and Secondary Healthcare has allotted 2,310 beds and increased 200 ventilators for coronavirus patients as Covid-19 has increased by 10 percent in Rawalpindi and overall 11 percent across Punjab.
The minister said that the federal government has provided 250,000 corona vaccines for Punjab on Saturday and the vaccine drive in Punjab will continue with 34,000-35,000 jabs to citizens on a daily basis in the coming days.
The minister said Punjab now has nearly 400,000 vaccine doses in stock and by April 28 the province will get one million more Covid-19 jabs.
Criticising PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks, Yasmin Rashid said “Even the vaccines provided to Sindh have not been utilized yet but Punjab provided corona vaccine to over 934,000 people so far.
This is not a time for criticism. I feel sad listening to the presser of Bilawal Bhutto,” the Punjab health minister said.
Dr Yasmin Rashid said two more vaccination centres will be set up in Lahore as Punjab has a higher vaccination ratio than other provinces.
Yasmin Rashid said Lahore has 19 percent coronavirus positive ratio and 874 patients are currently admitted in government hospitals, over 400 in private hospitals in Lahore and 50 on ventilators in public sector hospitals.
She said that currently lockdown is imposed at 15 places in Lahore and 10 places in Rawalpindi and commercial activities in Punjab will be closed after 6pm as per the NCOC directive.
Sharing the breakdown and latest update about Covid-19 situation in the province with the newsmen in Lahore on Sunday, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that Faisalabad has 27 percent, Multan 23 percent coronavirus cases and 88 percent ventilators are occupied in Gujranwala.
“As the cases have increased, 28 people have died from deadly coronavirus during the last 24 hours (Saturday) in Lahore,” the minister added.
