National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) chief Asad Umar on Saturday broke the good news that Covax has indicated a supply of up to 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in the first half of 2021.
“Good news on Covid vaccine front. Received a letter from Covax of [an] indicative supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021,” Asad Umar posted on his Twitter handle. According to the planning minister, six million of the total 17 million doses will be received by March with delivery starting in February. He did not specify any dates. “We signed with Covax nearly 8 months back to ensure availability,” he added. Asad Umer has been leading the fight against Covid-19 from the front since the pandemic broke out in the country early last year.
The NCOC was on Saturday apprised that a special plane will fly to China on Sunday (today) for transportation of first tranche of Covid-19 vaccine. The NCOC morning session deliberated in length about vaccine administration strategy across the country, administrative measures and particularly supply of initial tranche of coronavirus vaccine. The forum was informed that all necessary measures were put in place for vaccine storage at the federal ncapital and supply of vaccine to various federating units particularly to Sindh and Balochistan through air. The vaccine nerve centre has been established at the NCOC with provincial and district-level vaccine administration, coordination centres and adult vaccination centres linked together in a close liaison.
The national tally of total active Covid-19 cases in the country on Saturday reached 33,439 with 2,179 more people tested positive for the deadly virus and 1,407 people recovered from the disease during the last 24 hours.
Sixty-five coronavirus patients died, 58 of whom were under treatment in hospitals and seven in their respective homes or quarantines, according to the latest update issued by the NCOC. Most of the deaths occurred in Punjab, followed by Sindh. Out of the total 65 deaths during last 24 hours 36 patients died on ventilators. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 37 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 38 percent, Peshawar 25 percent and Lahore 35 percent. The maximum oxygen beds were also occupied in Four major areas of Peshawar 41 percent, Multan 34 percent, Karachi 35 percent and Rawalpindi 24 percent. Around 296 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no Covid affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan. Some 41,435 tests were conducted across the country on Friday, including 12,642 in Sindh, 14,592 in Punjab, 6,629 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 6,168 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 574 in Balochistan, 323 in GB, and 507 in AJK.
Around 498,152 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 543,214 cases were detected that also included the perished, recovered and under treatment Covid-19 patients so far, including AJK 8,972, Balochistan 18,809, GB 4,908, ICT 41,255, KP 66,679, Punjab 156,928 and Sindh 245,663. About 11,623 deaths were recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion. Around 3,986 perished in Sindh among 17 of them died on Friday. 13 of them died in hospital and four out of the hospital.
A total of 7,889,741 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 631 hospitals are equipped with Covid facilities. Some 2,566 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country.
The Sindh education department on Saturday confirmed 32 Covid-19 positive cases in staff members of the APWA Govt Girls College. The infected staffers of the college have been sent to quarantine.
Earlier, as many as 59 staffers of Karachi’s Sir Syed Girls College were found infected with the novel coronavirus. Samples of 130 staffers of the educational institution were collected for testing after colleges across the country resumed on-campus classes on January 18, out of which 59 found to be positive, according to health officials.
Earlier, 21 staffers at the Shaheed-e-Millat Girls Colleges had tested positive for Covid-19, while three at the Delhi College and 21 at the Government Riaz Girls College of the city. Tests of teaching and non-teaching staff of several other colleges of the city are yet to be conducted in phases.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a revised travel advisory for incoming passengers, according to a notification. The CAA has divided the countries into three categories (A, B and C) with different instructions for Covid-19 testing prior to travel.
