Asad Umar says COVID-19 spread has slowed down, rise in cases seen due to higher testing capacity

ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Asad Umar said Sunday there has been a slowdown in the spread of the novel coronavirus and that a greater testing capacity in Pakistan has led to more cases being reported.

Speaking on Geo News' programme Naya Pakistan, Umar said the pandemic's spread itself has decelerated over the past 10-12 days but that the testing capacity was bumped up twofold, causing the number of cases to rise.

He said previously some 2,500 to 3,000 tests were being conducted daily but the number has grown to 6,000 to 7,000.

Umar said that the country still had limited testing capacity as compared to the rest of the world and that "we are testing on a limited basis".

The minister said that while the number of patients needing ventilators is on the rise, the number of ventilators in the country is also due to increase soon — to around 2,000 by May.

"The number of cases in reality is much higher than the ones we see. There are many cases that are asymptomatic," said Umar.

Noting that doctors were giving good advice, the minister said "highly responsible and senior doctors" had held the press conferences last week.

It may be likely that some hospitals are at 80% bed capacity, he remarked, adding that doctors were an important part of the decision-making process and that society could stand reformed if their advice was followed.

Umar said that the federal government had always stressed on the need to make balanced decisions. "The 18th Amendment was a step in the right direction but there's something lacking," he mused.

According to the minister, there were "some flaws in the 18th Amendment" and that all political parties could sit down to talk about it.

"We do not wish to rescind authority from the provinces ... this is not a matter of authority. We just want to work jointly. Issues [of the country] cannot be resolved until the federal and provincial governments work together," he noted.

"It is illogical to say that the same decisions should be made across the country," he added, noting that "we don't even have complete data on labourers".

Referring to PPP leader Sherry Rehman, he said she "perhaps doesn't have complete information".

"The NAB Ordinance has been done away with. Ordinances are for a short time period," the minister said.

Umar announced that the PTI-initiated "smart lockdown" would start on Monday but that people should ensure social distancing while making purchases.

"Prayers, including taraweeh, should be offered at home so that coronavirus spread can be contained," he stated.