Coronavirus cases could rise to 1.2m by end of July, warns Pakistani minister

Tariq Butt, Correspondent / Agence France-Presse 

Pakistan’s Planning Minister Asad Umar warned on Sunday that the number of coronavirus cases in the country could double by the end of June and peak at more than a million infections just a month later (July).

The warning from Umar comes as many in the country continue to ignore guidance on social distancing, hygiene and other measures to tackle the disease.

Pakistan currently has confirmed nearly 140,000 cases of COVID-19, with the death toll approaching 2,700.

Authorities have ramped up testing but this nonetheless remains limited, so real numbers are thought to be higher.

“Expert estimates say the number of confirmed cases could go up to 300,000 by the end of June if we keep on flouting SOPs (standard operating procedures) and taking the problem lightly,” said Umar, who is helping coordinate the government’s coronavirus response.

“We fear the number of confirmed cases could go up further to 1.2 million by end of next month,” he told reporters in Islamabad.

After initially lagging infection rates in Western nations, Pakistan and other South Asian countries are experiencing a surge in cases.

Pakistan’s increase comes after people violated government restrictions and thronged mosques and markets — mostly without masks and gloves — during Ramadan and ahead of the Eid festival last month.

Since the start of Pakistan’s outbreak in March, Prime Minister Imran Khan opposed a nationwide lockdown of the sort seen elsewhere, arguing the impoverished country could not afford it.

Instead, Pakistan’s four provinces ordered a patchwork of closures, but even those restrictions have now been lifted.

Umar said hotpsot areas such as Lahore are now subject to “smart” lockdowns in which authorities attempt to track coronavirus patients and limit who they come into contact with.

“The government has decided to go for smart lockdowns by tracking hotspots and then sealing them. This will start from Punjab province,” Umar said.

Authorities in Islamabad already locked down one neighbourhood after tracking 200 confirmed coronavirus cases in just one day on Friday.

Hospitals across Pakistan say they are at or near capacity, and some are turning COVID-19 patients away.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has directed authorities to take strict action against the profiteers, who have caused shortage and price hike of injections used by coronavirus patients.

He told reporters that the government is making sure that Tocilizumab (Actemra) and Remedesivir injections are available for the management of COVID-19 patients.

“These medicines will be distributed among critically ill patients through a robust mechanism to meet the needs of various hospitals,” Mirza said, adding that overcharging of the Actemra injection would not be allowed.

“Taking cognizance of reports of short supply of these two injections, we took immediate action and after extensive efforts, there is an improvement in availability status of the Tocilizumab injection,” he said, adding that the approved maximum retail price for Actemra 80mg injection is Rs11,952 per vial whereas Rs29,882 for Actemra 200mg injection vial and Rs59,764 for Actemra 400mg vial.

Mirza vowed to take strict action against elements involved in overcharging or black marketing of life-saving drugs in accordance with Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) Act 2012.

He urged the public to inform the authorities on 0800-03727 in case they had been overcharged for Actemra injection. He added that directions have been issued to the National Task Force on Eradication of Spurious and Sub-standard drugs to apprehend black marketers and elements over-charging on approved prices of Tocilizumab injection.