Punjab procures 100 more ventilators after steep rise in Covid cases

LAHORE: The Punjab government has procured procurement of 100 more ventilators following the alarming increase in a load of critical patients amid the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, ARY News reported on Monday.

The Punjab government procured 100 more ventilators for COVID-19 health facilities as all vent machines were now occupied by the coronavirus patients in the provincial capital Lahore.

Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid, while talking to ARY News, said that the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases reached up to 19 per cent in Lahore, simultaneously the demand for ventilators was also increased due to the load of patients.

Read: COVID-19: Punjab health dept recommends complete lockdown for two weeks

She confirmed that 100 more ventilators have been procured for the province and 50 vent machines were given to the health facilities in Lahore.

She detailed that 29 patients died of coronavirus in Lahore during the past 24 hours including 14 at Mayo Hospital, 6 at Jinnah Hospital, 4 at General Hospital, 3 at Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS) and one at a private hospital, whereas, 1,186 patients are admitted to different hospitals.

The health minister said that the third wave of coronavirus pandemic proves to be more dangerous.

Read: 58 more coronavirus deaths, 4584 cases reported in Pakistan

She also warned of imposing complete lockdown in Punjab if violations of coronavirus standard operating procedure (SOPs) continue amid the third Covid-19 wave.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said that recommendations have been finalised for complete lockdown in eight cities of Punjab including Lahore for 15 days.

She said the death toll and COVID positivity cases ratio is rapidly increasing in Lahore. For many days COVID positivity cases ratio in Lahore is being reported at over 19 per cent, she added.

“The situation of Punjab is different from other provinces.”