Coronavirus cases in Pak cross over 36,000, PM says country more vulnerable to poverty, hunger

Pakistan is more vulnerable to poverty and hunger than coronavirus-induced lockdown and it is important to keep a balance between health needs and financial problems of people, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday even as number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 36,717 and death toll to 788.

Khan chaired a meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to discuss latest pandemic situation in country.

dressing meeting, Khan said that it is important to keep a balance between health needs and financial problems of people.

“Our population is more vulnerable to poverty and hunger than lockdown. We should take decisions by keeping in mind ground reality about problems faced by people,” he said.

Khan said opting safety measures was a key to fight disease but inste of forced implementation, people should be sensitised to opt m. meeting also discussed issue of opening transport and shopping plazas but decision was taken on two issues.

Later, Khan tweeted that NCOC reviewed country's coronavirus situation during its 20th consecutive session.

" meeting took an in-depth review of existing beds, ventilators and or medical facilities in hospitals, keeping in view projections of possible spre of #Covid-19 and present data. Purpose of thorough examination of existing facilities was to gauge capacity of hospitals," Prime Minister's Office said.

meeting also reviewed progress on implementing standard operating procedures and guidelines at a provincial level. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan joined world leers in calling for a "people's vaccine" to combat coronavirus. Prime Minister's Office quoted premier as saying: "We must work toger to beat this virus."

Emphasising need for pooling resources, he ded that " leer can rest easy until every individual in every nation is able to access a vaccine free of charge".

number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 36,717 on Thursday. Punjab reported 13,561 cases, Sindh 14,099, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 5,423, Balochistan 2,239, Islamab 822, Gilgit-Baltistan 482 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 91 cases.

Prime Minister Khan will participate in a meeting to be organised under COVID Action Platform of World Ecomic Forum (WEF), Rio Pakistan reported.

As lockdown was eased Pakistan resumed tre activities with Iran at Taftan after two tre gateways were reopened, which were closed two-and-a-half months ago due to coronavirus outbreak. PTI SH PMS

PMS