Tag: Coronavirus Pakistan

  • Pakistan responds to UK’s concerns amid Red List travel ban

    Pakistan responds to UK’s concerns amid Red List travel ban

    The Pakistan government has responded to the United Kingdom (UK) government’s reasons for keeping the former on its travel Red List in a detailed letter written by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

     Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari shared the letter on Twitter and said, “The table exposes claims of UK govt, clearly it has been a political decision.”

    Mazari further tweeted, “UK’s Conservative govt with a strong Indophiles’ presence playing discriminatory politics against Pakistan on Covid.”

    Dr Sultan in his letter writes that Pakistan has “no interest in allowing” its nationals who pose a health risk to other societies to travel abroad. He said this is a shared global objective.

    Dr Sultan presented a table comparing key indicators from Pakistan and some other countries in the region, which currently sit on the Amber List, to illustrate what he referred to as “obvious disparities”. He said that when looking at countries’ track record of managing the epidemic, “numbers alone, without context, can be deceptive”.

    The SAPM explained how the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in Pakistan were being conducted and highlighted that testing is done through “agreed-upon national algorithms”. He explained how it makes for “accurate and timely data inputs”.

    “We feel that the number of tests being done is a large enough sample size to be a sensitive and accurate barometer of the epidemic and the number, especially when seen with the percentage positivity rate, has accurately reflected the rise and fall of all the waves seen so far,” Dr Sultan wrote.

    SAPM agreed that Pakistan does have limitations in whole-genome sequencing throughput, compared to the UK, which is the current leader in this arena. So far 854 samples have been sequenced during July and August 2021 and the details are shared with the World Health Organisation (WHO) regularly.

  • Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate back up at 3 per cent

    Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate passed the three per cent mark Wednesday morning for the first time in the last 20 days. 

    The country recorded a positivity rate of 3.27 per cent. The last time the positivity rate was 3 per cent was in June.

    According to the latest statistics by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 46,287 Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, out of which 1,517 people tested positive for the virus.

    The NCOC had warned of strict restrictions as it has observed violation of coronavirus SOPs in several sectors following the relaxation of curbs.

  • Pakistan reports less than 1,000 cases for the first time since February 2021

     For the first time since February 15, Pakistan has reported less than 1,000 cases in the last 24 hours, data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed. 

    In the last 24 hours, a total of 35,039 tests were conducted across the country out of which 838 people tested positive for the virus, thus putting the coronavirus positivity ratio at 2.39 per cent. 

    Meanwhile, 59 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, the NCOC stated, adding that a total of 2,611 coronavirus patients from across the country are in critical condition.

  • Saheefa Jabbar takes offence at Ramzan transmissions for being problematic

    Saheefa Jabbar takes offence at Ramzan transmissions for being problematic

    Saheefa Jabbar Khattak has called out Ramzan Transmissions for having problematic content and not following COVID-19 SOPs.

    The model-turned-actor, in a series of Instagram stories, said that on one hand, the government and the public are trying their best to follow SOPs, make compromises on their luxurious lifestyle and give up all activities to contain the spread of the virus. But on other, the Ramzan transmissions are allowing large people gathering which will be a serious threat to the life of people.

    “COVID is at its peak. Cricket leagues are getting cancelled, countries in the subcontinent are going into lockdown and strict curfews are imposed on peoples everywhere — we are well in the middle of this horrendous and treacherous third wave,” said Saheefa urging everyone to follow SOPs and wear a mask at all times.

    Khattak then pointed out how she read somewhere how social distancing was a privilege.

    “It means you live in a house large enough to practice it. Hand washing is a privilege too. It means you have access to water. Hand sanitisers are a privilege. It means you have the money to buy them,” she said.

    Saheefa also took the opportunity to highlight the problematic content in Ramazan transmissions.

    VIDEO: Aamir Liaquat sings ‘Laila o Laila’ on the sets of Ramzan transmission

    “They do not follow protocols and are filmed on sets where crews as large as 60 to 70 people are not quarantined and don’t operate inside a bio secure environment. This is a blatant breach of government policy and just shows our inherent insensitivity to the situation,” protested Khattak.

    “Rather, they seem hellbent on ridiculing and insulting human beings in the name of entertainment and profit. It’s crass, rude, and has zero respect for human dignity. I’m sorry but this frustrates me a lot!” she added.

    Khattak also presented a solution to the problem, suggesting that the airtime can be used to “spread awareness about COVID and enforce message sent out by the government.”

    “There was no better time to do it in Ramazan, but no, how would people win a Corolla then?” she sighed, reminding people to take the pandemic seriously.

    “Spend Eid while practicing social distancing, recognise your privilege and try to see through the lies we consume through the magic box!” concluded Saheefa.

    Meanwhile, according to the latest statistics by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 4,109 cases of COVID-19 and 120 deaths were recorded in past 24 hours. The positivity ratio in the country is at 8.54 percent.