Pakistan has 57% more critical COVID-19 patients now than it did last June: Asad Umar

• Pakistan currently has 5,360 critically ill coronavirus patients on oxygen, says National Command and Operation centre head Asad Umar.
• Figure for critically ill coronavirus patients on oxygen 57% higher than it was in June last year, says Umar.
• Umar reiterates need for precautions and to follow coronavirus standard operating procedures.

The number of critical care COVID-19 patients on oxygen in Pakistan currently is 57% higher than it was in June last year, according to an update given by National Command and Operation Centre head Asad Umar on Twitter Friday.

In a series of tweets, the NCOC head gave a detailed explanation of the current status of oxygen production, supply and availability in Pakistan for coronavirus patients.

He said the total number of critical care COVID-19 patients on oxygen has reached 5,360. 

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But Umar said the "huge increase" has so far been managed because of proactive building capacity of the "entire system from oxygen production to beds."

He then gave an update on the oxygen production increase in Pakistan and the number of oxygen cylinder imported last year.

"Despite there being more than 2,000 additional COVID-19 patients on oxygen vs last June peak, you have not seen the kind [of] tight supply situation we saw last June," Umar wrote.

He said the government is continuing to build capacity and the NCOC has decided to import 6,000 tons of oxygen, 5,000 cylinders and 20 cryogenic tanks. 

But Umar warned that the challenge is not over. He reiterated the need to take precautions and follow coronavirus standard operating procedures.

"No system can cope if we allow the disease to spread rapidly. May Allah be with us and protect us," he concluded.

The current status of coronavirus in Pakistan

Pakistan reported at least 131 more deaths from coronavirus in the last 24 hours, according to the latest statistics issued by the NCOC.

The NCOC stats reported 5,112 new positive cases after tests of 49,099 people were conducted. The positivity ratio remained 10.41%.

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Earlier this week, Pakistan reported the highest single-day death toll recorded since the pandemic started last year with over 200 new fatalities.

Province-wise breakdown of COVID-19 cases

According to the official portal, the total number of COVID-19 patients in Sindh has reached 282,445, while 4,633 people have died so far.

The total number of coronavirus patients in Punjab is 301,114 and 8,410 people have died from the virus, while the total in Balochistan has reached 22,278, with a death toll of 234.

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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 117,557 people have been infected with the coronavirus and 3,274 people have lost their lives to it. In Azad Kashmir, 17,057 people have been infected with the virus and 475 people have died.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, 5,305 coronavirus patients have been reported so far and 106 deaths.

According to the portal, the total number of COVID-19 patients in the federal capital Islamabad is 75,067 and so far 679 patients have died.