Virus claims another doctor
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Wednesday, December 2, revealed that ten doctors have succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease in past five days, six of whom breathed their last on November 29.
The latest casualty among healthcare professionals was Additional Director of Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital in Bannu, Dr. Mohammad Farooq, who had contracted the infectious disease some weeks back and was on a ventilator in a private hospital before the disease claimed his life on Wednesday. Since the outbreak of the second wave in the country, so far 18 medical professionals have fallen victim to COVID-19.
COVID-19 situation update
39 COVID-19 fatalities were reported in past 24 hours at a constant death rate of 2%. Meanwhile, the positivity rate jumped to above 8% once again after 3,499 positive cases were discovered from 42,904 samples in the same timeframe. 1,586 patients managed to recover, indicating a slightly falling recovery rate of 85.3%.
Punjab recorded the highest number of casualties at 25, overtaking Sindh and the Islamabad Capital territory which reported six and five deaths respectively. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded three COVID-19 related deaths.
Peshawar hospitals reach full capacity
The Hayatabad Medical Complex, the Khyber Teaching Hospital and a private medical facility in Peshawar have reached capacity for COVID-19 patients, culture and labour minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai revealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday. Only Lady Reading Hospital is currently able to take in new coronavirus patients, however trends indicate that the health system in the province is under strain amidst the ongoing second wave.
