Three more Punjab doctors fall prey to Covid-19

The coronavirus continued affecting the healthcare professionals as another three doctors died of the virus in Punjab, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

Two of these latest victims were from Sargodha – Dr Munawar Ali, former medical superintendent of THQ Salanwali, and Dr Irshad Nabi who was associated with a private medical college.  

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said a total of four doctors had died of the coronavirus so far in the district. Another 39 healthcare professionals, including 12 doctors were infected by the virus, it added.

Also on Friday, a senior member of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad breathed his last due to coronavirus. Dr Qamar Khalil was deputed as a medical officer at the dispensary of the university. He passed away at the Allied Hospital where he was under treatment after falling ill.

The latest deaths of these doctors came as the coronavirus death toll in Pakistan climbed to 3,229 as the country reported 136 new deaths during the past 24 hours (Thursday).

The same period saw the number of cases reaching 165,062 with the addition of 4,944 patients from different parts of Pakistan.

The pandemic is proving to be deadliest in Punjab where another 63 people died of the virus after which the number of deaths in the province rose to 1,265. The number of cases, on the other hand, has increased to 61,678 during the same period.

In another report, 24NewsHD revealed that only 26 ICU (intensive care unit) beds are currently vacant in the state-run hospitals of the city.

As of Friday morning, there are 688 patients admitted in the isolation wards with another 204 in ICUs. Of those in the ICUs, 125 have been placed on ventilators due to their critical condition.

The shortage of ICU beds can be gauged by the fact that there is no more space in General Hospital, Services Hospital, Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital.

On the other hand, around 88 percent ICU beds are occupied in Mayo Hospital with only six currently being vacant.

The critical care beds currently available in the government-run health facilities are: Ganga Ram Hospital 10, Mayo Hospital six, PKLI (Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute) five and Nawaz Sharif Hospital Yaki Gate five.