COVID-19 situation update
As many as 36 people succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease on Sunday, December 13, with Punjab leading the daily death count with fourteen reported deaths. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed with ten deaths while Sindh reported nine and the Islamabad Capital Territory reported three. Daily positivity rate fell slightly to 7.42% as 2,362 out of 31,830 collected samples returned positive. Meanwhile, 1,719 managed to beat the virus, indicating a recovery rate of 87.3%.
Three Karachi doctors lost to virus
Three senior doctors from Karachi succumbed to the virus between Friday and Saturday, raising the number of healthcare professionals to lose their life to the potentially fatal respiratory disease to 142, according to data released by the Pakistan Medical Association. Punjab has recorded the greatest number of fatalities among doctors at 61 casualties, while Sindh followed with 46 deaths, 26 of whom were reported in Karachi alone.
ICT reports fall in cases
The positivity rate in Islamabad has remained below 2% since the past two weeks as the number of cases also drop, according to data issued by the district administration. Statistics showed that the highest number of cases recorded since the outbreak of the second wave at 570 was reported in the last week of November, while the highest number of daily cases recorded in December was 474 after which there was a notable decline in new infections. Authorities believe that the capital may have crossed its peak.
Meanwhile, 21 localities in Rawalpindi, including six houses from which 46 patients have emerged during the second wave, have been declared COVID-19 hotspots on Saturday. The identified areas are as follows:
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- Airport Housing Society
- Daryabad Gawalmandi Street 12
- Dhok Naju
- Gulistan Colony streets 3 and 4
- Gulraiz Housing Society Phase 2
- Khayaban-e-Sir Syed
- Qasimabad Asif Colony
- Rahim Tan Shakriyal
- Waris Khan
$250 million allotted for vaccine
Pakistan raised its COVID-19 vaccine procurement fund from $150 million to $250 million while in talks with at least six manufacturers to purchase different, approved vaccines slated for market release. The government stated that it has signed non-disclosure agreements with some of the six companies it has contacted, and revealed that Russia had approached Pakistan to distribute its Sputnik V vaccine.
