Recently, Punjab is seeing a surge in new coronavirus cases. As over 600 new cases were reported in the country for the sixth consecutive day.

• According to NCOC, the latest coronavirus statistics of Punjab are as follows:

  Confirmed Cases: 118,511
  Deaths: 2,979
  Recoveries: 98,331

• In the last 24 hours, 613 new coronavirus cases and 19 new Covid-related deaths were reported in the Punjab province.

Yesterday, a total of 17,771 tests were conducted in the province out of which 613 returned positive. This means that the positivity rate in the province remained at 3.4%.

Today, Punjab's health minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid briefed media regarding the surge in COVID infection in the province. She said:

To date, 2,979 people have died in Punjab due to coronavirus infection. In the last 24 hours, 19 viral deaths have been reported. At present, we have 997 moderately to severely ill patients admitted to the Covid-19 wards across the province. Out of these, 145 patients are on ventilators and 475 patients on oxygen beds.

In the presser, she also gave an update on the current testing capacity of Punjab, saying:

By the grace of Allah, all health facilities have been improved. Today, thanks to 18 labs, 20,000 to 25,000 coronavirus tests can be done daily. Efforts are being made to continue outpatient treatment for which Covid treatment hospitals have been set aside.

Underscoring the precautionary measures, she added:

The nation is urged to implement the Covid SOPs. Precautions must be taken until the coronavirus vaccine arrives.