Tag: covid pakistan

  • Pakistan to open vaccine registration for citizens aged 19 and above

    Pakistan to open vaccine registration for citizens aged 19 and above

    Pakistan will start registering persons aged 19 and above for coronavirus vaccination from tomorrow, May 27.

    Asad Umar tweeted that National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to open vaccination registration for all citizens aged 19 and above.

    Registration will start tomorrow. “So now registration will be open for the entire national population which is approved by health experts for Covid vaccination,” tweeted Asad Umar.

    Registration for citizens aged 30 and above started on May 16.

  • Covid-19 in men: ‘Could make it hard to perform in the bedroom’

    As per a report quoted by WebMD, it is suspected by doctors that, “Covid-19 could make it hard for men to perform in the bedroom”. The study was published in the World Journal of Men’s Health.

    According to the study, Covid-19 can linger in the penis and can cause impotence. Researchers found coronavirus particles in penile tissue samples taken from two former COVID-19 patients who had became impotent after getting infected from coronavirus.

    “We found that the virus affects the blood vessels that supply the penis, causing erectile dysfunction,” said senior researcher Dr Ranjith Ramasamy, director of the reproductive urology program at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine.

    “The blood vessels themselves malfunction and are not able to provide enough blood to enter the penis for an erection,” he added.

    “We think the penis also could be affected in a similar way,” Ramasamy said. “We don’t think this is a temporary effect. We think this could be permanent.”

    Two recovered COVID-19 patients who are undergoing penile prosthesis surgery for their erectile dysfunction, had normal erectile function prior to their infections.

  • Schools to reopen in districts with less than 5% covid positivity ratio: NCOC

    The National Command and Operations Centre on Wednesday allowed the reopening of schools in districts with less than five per cent coronavirus positivity ratio.

    The meeting reviewed the ongoing situation of coronavirus in the country.

    Key decisions

    From May 24, outdoor restaurants will be opened daily till 11:59 pm, and takeaway will be allowed 24/7.

    The tourism sector will be allowed to operate under strict coronavirus protocols.

    Outdoor marriage ceremonies with a limit of 150 individuals will be permitted.

    Opening of educational institutions from June 7 (other than those opened from May 24).

    Meanwhile cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms, amusement parks, shrines, all kinds of festivals, cultural and other events shall remain banned till further notice.

    June 1 onwards, several sectors will be allowed to open after a review meeting on May 27.

    In addition to this, the NCOC decided all SSC and HSSC exams will be held after June 20, while conducting professional and non-professional exams would take place on a case-to-case basis on recommendations from the Ministry of Education.

    The forum decided that wearing masks would remain compulsory.

    The NCOC had earlier imposed a lockdown in the country during the Eid holidays in order to stop the spread of the virus amid the deadly third wave.

  • 28 passengers on one flight test positive for coronavirus

    Twenty-eight passengers, coming from Bahrain to Peshawar, tested positive for coronavirus at the Bacha Khan International Airport on Tuesday. 

    The airport’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Obaid-ur-Rehman Abbasi said rapid antigen tests were conducted on 130 passengers who arrived at the airport from Bahrain. 

    “The passengers who tested positive for the virus have been handed over to the district administration,” he said, adding that various areas of the airport had also been disinfected after the development.

    A week earlier, the CAA had noted, “with grave concern”, that passengers arriving in Pakistan from mostly Gulf countries, were testing positive for coronavirus.

    “Upon conducting an investigation into the issue, it has been found that passengers travelled to Pakistan using fake PCR negative test results and endangered not only passengers travelling with them, but also undermined the intense efforts being made at the national level to curb the spread of Covid-19,” said the authority, in a notification that was released on May 10. 

    “The onus of contributing towards this national cause does not fall on the authority alone but is a responsibility that has to be shared by all concerned stakeholders including airline operators,” the notification stated.

    The development is a worrying one as Pakistan, like many countries around the world, continues to struggle with the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The current positive cases in the country stand at 882,928 with a positivity rate of 8.2%.

  • Malik Riaz, wife, refuse to get tested for coronavirus at the airport, home

    Malik Riaz, wife, refuse to get tested for coronavirus at the airport, home

    Real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, his wife, and another member of his team allegedly refused to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for coronavirus when landing at Lahore airport, violating the instruction of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

    In a letter written to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) headquarters in Karachi, Lahore airport chief operating officer and manager Akhtar Mirza said the Bahria Town CEO refused to give samples for the Covid-19 test. The team of airport health staff went to his residence to follow up with a test but Riaz refused to take the test.

    Letter written to the CAA, regarding Malik Riaz refusing to take the Covid test

    Riaz, along with four other people, landed at Lahore Airport from Dubai. After the passengers passed through the immigration process, the CAA duty staff requested Riaz and his fellows to undergo the RAT, which is a rapid diagnostic test that directly detects the presence or absence of the antigen and gives results within few minutes.

    “But they did not respond and rapidly moved towards international arrivals exit gate,” Mirza stated in the letter.

    Riaz, Bina Riaz and Shahid Mahmood Qureshi, “left the airport without [the test] which is an open violation of NCOC instructions and SOPs”, the letter added.

    The CAA management then contacted the government health team and Riaz’s personal staff officer to obtain the RAT samples from the property tycoon’s residence. A two-member team of airport health staff subsequently left for Riaz’s house shortly “but unfortunately once again [he] flatly refused to give samples for the requisite test.”

    The letter was submitted to the airport services director at CAA Karachi headquarters for his “information and further necessary action”.

    After detection of the coronavirus in some passengers arriving in Pakistan and despite them having negative PCR test results, the CAA tightened the rules regarding testing.

  • PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    PM’s surprise visit to PIMS Hospital’s Covid ward

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday night paid a surprise visit to the coronavirus ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, to review the conditions there. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Khan met with the patients and inquired about their health.

    The premier particularly inquired about the facilities being provided to COVID-19 patients at the hospital, particularly the availability of oxygen and medicines.

    Addressing the staff at the hospital, the PM said that since healthcare workers are the country’s frontline fighters, they should also take care of themselves apart from taking care of the patients.

    The premier also inquired from doctors and the staff if all of them have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

    He said that the third wave of the coronavirus is more lethal than the previous two ones, adding that people should follow the SOPs to protect themselves from the virus

    The virus has so far claimed 19,106 lives in Pakistan, while the number of total cases in the country has reached 864,557.

  • Karachi gets country’s largest COVID-19 vaccination centre

    Karachi gets country’s largest COVID-19 vaccination centre

    Pakistan’s largest COVID-19 vaccination center has been set up in Karachi’s Expo Centre. The facility can accommodate up to 30,000 people on a daily basis.

    As per reports, the Sindh government has established the mega vaccination center at Karachi’s Expo Centre in order to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination process.

    The mega vaccination centre will be operational from May 9 (Sunday) where 30,000 people could get COVID-19 shots in a single day.

    The vaccination centre will directly be supervised by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and the vaccination process will take place 24 hours a day.

    The provincial government has also notified that the staff of the private hospital will be on duty while the vaccination centres will remain open sans three eid days as the country faces the rising third wave of the global pandemic.

    According to the notification issued by the Sindh government, except for the three gazetted Eid days, from May 13-15, the vaccination centres will be functional on all federally announced holidays.

    Earlier, the Sindh government also launched free COVID-19 vaccination home service to facilitate elderly citizens.

    The mobile helplines for at-home vaccination are 9123 and 1025. Those calling from a landline phone can dial 021-111-119-123.

    The province has reported 290,756 cases reporting 1,110 in the last 24 hours.

  • 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.

  • Pakistan to receive first shipment of Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine this week

    Pakistan is expected to receive its first shipment of the Oxford-Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine by the end of this week under the COVAX program, Arab News has reported. The COVAX program is a global initiative to provide vaccines to countries lacking resources to procure or manufacture the vaccines on their own. 

    Quoting a top government official, the report said that Pakistan will receive the first shipment of 1.2 million doses of Oxford-Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine on Friday.

    Through the COVAX vaccine facility, Pakistan has planned to vaccinate 20% of its population free of charge.

    As per, Rana Muhammad Safdar, director-general health at the Ministry of National Health Services, the first shipment will arrive from South Korea on May 7.

    “We are committed to vaccinating our maximum population as quickly as possible,” asserted Safdar.

    Pakistan’s vaccination drive began on March 10 with priority given to healthcare workers and senior citizens above 60. Later, vaccinations for those aged 50-59 were started on April 21. Meanwhile, registration for ages 40-49 started on April 27. You can register yourself by sending your CNIC number to 1166. Walk-in vaccinations are available for those aged 50 and above. As per the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), more than 2.5 million people have been vaccinated till now.

    Pakistan is experiencing a deadly third wave of Covid-19, with the positivity rate at an all-time high. According to the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), 3377 cases and 161 deaths were recorded in the country in the last 24 hours.

  • Sheheryar Munawar apologises for attending birthday party amid pandemic

    Sheheryar Munawar apologises for attending birthday party amid pandemic

    Sheheryar Munawar has apologised for attending a birthday amid the deadly third wave of the coronavirus in Pakistan. The actor was recently spotted at Fahad Mirza’s 40th birthday celebrations, where he was photographed sans mask enjoying a candid moment.

    After he was called out for being irresponsible, Sheheryar Munawar, in a statement apologised for his actions, saying: “Last week I went to wish my neighbour on his birthday on an invitation I had accepted two weeks prior.”

    Munawar said that he was not expecting such a crowd and left five minutes after wishing the birthday boy.

    “In a candid moment I was asked to take my mask off and pose for a picture,” continued Sheheryar. “Rightly so, I was called out for doing that and not following the SOPs. There is no justification for my actions and I stand corrected.”

    Taking full responsibility, Sheheryar apologised for his “ignorance, lapse in judgement and lack of better sense” and thanked his social media family for “keeping my moral compass in check”

    “Times are tough and we must all follow SOPs outlined by the government,” added the actor before extending prayers for those affected.

    Later, while responding to a social media user, Munawar asserted that there are “no justifications for my actions”.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Munawar had tested positive for COVID-19 when Pakistan experienced its first wave.

    Meanwhile, Mirza’s birthday party was an extravagant affair with many celebs including wife Sarwat Gilani, Zeba Bakhtiar, Frieha Altaf, and Mansha Pasha in attendance. After pictures from the celebrations went viral on social media, people present at the event were heavily criticised for not following the SOps.

    Frieha had defended the celebrations, saying: “First of all, it was a very small gathering and it was on an open rooftop. All SOPs were followed, there were masks, temperature checks at the gate and I believe most of the guests already vaccinated or had antibodies.”