In Pakistan’s Covid-19 response, signs of unpreparedness

The number of people infected with coronavirus disease Covid-19 in Pakistan surpassed 3,100 on Sunday.

The coronavirus disease is spreading rapidly in Pakistan, but the country is unprepared to fight it. News agency ANI reported that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had to allocate five graveyards in the city at the 11th hour for the burial of those who died from Covid-19.

Volunteers from the Payam-e-Wilayat Foundation Pakistan welfare organisation disinfect a mosque during the coronavirus crisis, in Peshawar, on April 5. (AP Photo)

Pakistan media quoted KMC Graveyard Department Director Iqbal Pervez as saying that four coronavirus affected bodies have been buried in different graveyards so far, ANI reported.

The news agency further quoted media reports to say that the undertakers are not ready to perform their duties in Pakistan without precautionary measures. Some are offered hefty money, but they still are refusing to perform their duties.

Also Watch | Amid Covid-19 pandemic, Pak Occupied Kashmir residents allege shortage of food

The number of people infected with the Sars-CoV-2 virus in Pakistan surpassed 3,100 on Sunday; the death toll reached 45.

According to Dawn, the number of coronavirus positive cases in Pakistan is 3118.

Punjab province has the highest number of cases in the country. It also witnessed the highest single-day surge in the number of patients with 184 new cases, taking the province’s total to 1380.

Meanwhile, Sindh has confirmed 51 new cases of coronavirus in the province, taking the tally to 881.

The total number of cases in Balochistan has increased to 189, said provincial government spokesperson Liaqat Shahwani.

The Imran Khan-led government has, however, refused to impose a lockdown in the country so far. What Khan has instead done is to focus on other sectors to gauge whether they can be provided relief so that a balance could be struck between the lockdown and regulation of economic activities.