COVID- 19 cases have shown further decline during the first two weeks of July brushing aside apprehension of major spike in cases during this period to take Pakistan to a vulnerable situation. The declining trend has relieved pressure from national health system, besides providing a big relief to the decision-makers and those departments that monitor COVID 19 situation on day- to- day basis.
An analysis of data available on National Control and Command Centre (NCOC) website is highly encouraging for every segment of the society and, in particular, for national health system. The number of COVID-19 cases reported during the first two weeks of July have shown major reduction across Pakistan, NCOC spokesman declared on Friday.
NCOC data shows recovered patients number has overtaken confirmed cases on July 18. As of July 18, Pakistan’s active COVID-19 cases stood at 259999 and recovered cases number was 183737. The death rate has also slowdown during the last two weeks. The NCOC data shows only 48 deaths were reported during the last 24 hours which took total death number of Pakistan to 5475.
“We have been witnessing major slowdown of COVID-19 cases in July as compared to June last and it is an encouraging development for both—the health workers and the people” Dr Manzoor, a virologist at PIMS told NEWSMAN.
The people were alarmed by NCOC chief spokesman and federal minister Asad Umar who painted a gloomy picture of COVID-19 pandemic for Pakistan in his statement issued during NCOC daily briefing on June 14. The minister had predicted 1.2 million cases of novel virus by the end of July. His statement caused panic among the masses who were already under pressure due to quick spread of the virus in June.