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ARY NEWS

Jahangir Khan

  • Another 75 dengue cases reported in Islamabad

    Another 75 dengue cases reported in Islamabad

    ISLAMABAD: As many as 75 dengue virus cases were reported in Islamabad during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed infections to 734, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

    According to the statistics issued by the District Health Office (DHO), almost 75 new dengue infections were reported in the past 24 hours, hinting that one of the most severe outbreaks of the disease in the region is on the cards.

    Meanwhile, the DHO stated that the dengue virus also claimed one life in Islamabad during the same period. The deceased was a resident of Tarlai, the district office added.

    Following the detection of 750 cases in the past 24 hours, the total number of confirmed infections has reached 743, the DHO added.

    A day earlier, at least 55 more cases of the mosquito-borne disease were reported in the last 24 hours. According to District Health officer Islamabad, 36 cases of dengue virus reported in rural areas of the capital territory, while 19 infections were reported from urban areas.

    Among the total 688 dengue cases reported in this season, 424 cases have been reported in rural areas while 244 from urban areas, the official added.

     

  • KP govt seeks medicines from Centre for flood-hit areas

    KP govt seeks medicines from Centre for flood-hit areas

    PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has sought medicines from the federal government for flood-affected areas of the province, ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources.

    According to details, the KP’s Health Department has penned down a letter to National Institute of Health (NIH), seeking medicines and vaccines for different diseases for 20 flood-affected areas.

    Sources told ARY News that the KP government has sought vaccines for typhoid, snake and dog bites and Oral rehydration salts (ORS).

    The provincial government has sought over 0.6 million vaccines for typhoid, 6,710 vaccines for snake bite, 54,550 vaccines for dog bites and over 1.1 million ORS packets, sources added.

    Read More: Floods, earthquakes: ADB puts Pakistan among high-risk countries

    It is pertinent to mention here that the healthcare system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) suffered losses worth Rs2.93 billion in recent floods triggered by heavy rains.

    According to details, the flash floods have severely affected primary healthcare system of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The losses to KP’s health system were revealed in an assessment survey.

    Sources told ARY News that the District Health Officers (DHOs) have sent the report on flood damage to the provincial government. The report revealed that the province’s healthcare system suffered losses worth $2.93 billion.

    Earlier, it was reported that as many as 292 people died and 351 others sustained injuries during monsoon rain spell that have caused floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

  • UNICEF increases mobile clinics in flood-hit areas

    UNICEF increases mobile clinics in flood-hit areas

    ISLAMABAD: The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has decided to increase number of mobile clinics in flood-hit areas of Pakistan, ARY NEWS reported.

    According to sources privy to the matter, the UNICEF will increase 15 mobile health clinics in northern areas of the Sindh province with the cooperation of the provincial government.

    “The number of UNICEF-run clinics in flood-hit areas have now increased to 66,” they said, adding that currently, 18 clinics each are operational in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 15 in Balochistan.

    The decision to increase number of clinics, according to sources, was made after increase in water-borne diseases in flood-hit areas. “More cases of skin diseases, nutritional deficiencies, diarrhea and malaria are being reported from flood-hit areas,” they said.

    A UNICEF report highlighted that the recent rains in Pakistan have broken the 30-year rainfall record and resulted in 1200 deaths including 400 children while 1.1 million homes and 160 bridges are damaged in the last two months.

    UNICEF reported that at least 16 million children, among 34 million total, have been affected by floods in the country. The floods have damaged over 1.1 million homes, and 18,000 schools in the country, they added.

    UNICEF added that the affected people need clean drinking water, unavailability of water can give rise to multiple diseases. There are only eight weeks until the winter season starts, which will only worsen the condition, they added.

    Read More: WHO, UNICEF launch polio vaccine campaign with Taliban backing

    The floods have damaged 160 bridges, over 5000 km of roads and crops on over 3.5 million acres in the country, they added. over 800,000 cattle have been reported dead amid devastating floods in the country, they added.

  • Pregnant women, children to get special food sachets in flood-hit areas

    Pregnant women, children to get special food sachets in flood-hit areas

    ISLAMABAD: The federal government will provide special food sachets for pregnant women and children in flood-hit areas through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to fulfill their nutritional needs, ARY NEWS reported.

    According to sources privy to the matter, the food sachets will be handed over to pregnant women and children in a phase-wise manner. “In the first phase, 400,000 women and children will be handed over the sachets through BISP,” they said.

    The sources in National Health Ministry said that a sachet will comprise of food items fulfilling nutritional needs of the pregnant women and children. “The nutritional deficiency among them will be determined through measurement of height and weight and other factors,” they said.

    They further shared that 30 percent of the food sachets will go to Sindh and 25 percent to Balochistan while 15 percent will be given to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Islamabad and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) regions.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recently shared that the children are among the most affected from the floods in Pakistan with at least 400 of them being dead during the climate-induced calamity.

    Read More: PAKISTAN, RAVAGED BY FLOODS, BIDS TO AVERT MANCHAR LAKE OVERFLOW

    Taking to Twitter, Shehbaz Sharif said that the children make up one third of overall death toll in the recent floods. “Now they are at even greater risk of water-borne diseases,” he said.

    The prime minister sought help from UNICEF and other global lenders to deal with risks associated top children in the floods.

  • Covid positivity declines as Pakistan reports 872 cases, 9 deaths

    Covid positivity declines as Pakistan reports 872 cases, 9 deaths

    ISLAMABAD: As many as 872 more cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country during the last 24 hours amid a decline in the positivity ratio, the National Institute of Health (NIH) data showed.

    According to the National Institute of Health, 23,125 Covid tests were conducted across the country in the past 24 hours, out of which 872 turned out to be positive.

    The nationwide Covid-19 test positivity ratio remained 3.77 percent, according to the report.

    Moreover, nine people died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, said NIH, adding that 165 people are stated to be in critical condition.

    Eidul Azha guidelines

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) Tuesday issued fresh guidelines in view of the upcoming Eidul Azha, urging people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent Covid-19 infection.

    The forum has advised the people to stay indoors during the Eid holidays and observe precautionary measures in view of the rising trend of Covid cases. “It has been advised to undertake minimal necessary travel during Eid holidays as the risk of a new wave was imminent”.

    According to the NCOC, the Eid prayers should be offered at open spaces with Covid-19 protocols. In case prayers are offered indoors, windows and doors of mosques be kept open for adequate ventilation.

    The NCOC said that the Eid sermon should be kept brief and comprehensive with minors under 15 years of age, elderly citizens and those suffering from some illness be discouraged from attending congregational prayers.

  • Pakistan sees surge in COVID-19 cases

    Pakistan sees surge in COVID-19 cases

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has once again witnessed an increase in daily Covid-19 cases as 171 people were found infected during the last 24 hours, according to data shared by NIH on Monday.

    The National Institute of Health (NIH) said that the new infections were detected after 11,212 coronavirus diagnostic tests performed across the country, which placed Pakistan’s positivity ratio at 1.53% and the overall case count at 1,532,153.

    Pakistan’s active cases stand at 3,148, the NIH said.

    However, no Covid-19-related death was reported in the country during the past 24 hours. The overall death toll count stands at 30,383, it added.

    The forum further shared that the cases count has increased across the country, particularly in Hyderabad and Karachi, where the positivity ratio was recorded at 16.67per cent and 10.08pc respectively.

    Covid-19 positivity rate in major cities

    • Hyderabad: 16.67pc
    • Karachi: 10.08pc
    • Mirpur: 5.26
    • Mardan: 3.39
    • Muzaffarabad: 2.27pc
    • Lahore 1pc
    • Islamabad: 2.27pc

    Previously, in May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif restored National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), an umbrella body that led Pakistan’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

    The step was taken after emergence of a new sub-variant of Omicron strain of coronavirus, in the country.

    Pakistan on May 9 reported the country’s first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1.

    The NCOC had ceased to function on March 31 this year and all its functions and responsibilities were officially handed over to National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the National Command and Operation Centre was set up in March 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic to collect, analyse and process information in Pakistan’s struggle against the coronavirus pandemic.

  • 433,173 children deprived of anti-polio drops: sources

    433,173 children deprived of anti-polio drops: sources

    ISLAMABAD: As many as 433,173 children were deprived of anti-polio drops during a week-long drive against the crippling disease in the country, ARY News reported, quoting sources within the NIH.

    A week-long anti-polio drive was held between 23 to 29 March in which 433,173 children have not inhaled drops for various reasons. Sources said 377,166 children were not available during the drive, while parents of 56,007 children denied inhaling anti-polio drops to their children across the country.

    In Sindh, parents of 29,740 children denied anti-polio teams during the drive, while 96,295 children were not available.

    In KP, parents of 20,040 children denied teams to inhale anti-polio drops during the drive, while 72,139 children were not available.

    Read more: Anti-polio drive kicks off in Pakistan

    In Balochistan, as many as 5,954 children were deprived of anti-polio drops due to their parents’ refusal, while 68,349 children were not available.

    134,666 children were not available during the anti-polio drive in Punjab. In Gilgit-Baltistan, parents of three children denied teams, while 345 children were not available during the drive.

    In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 91 children were deprived of drops against the crippling disease over the denial of their parents while 744 children were not available during the week-long drive in the area, said sources.

  • PTI challenges ECP ruling on PA reserved seats in IHC

    PTI challenges ECP ruling on PA reserved seats in IHC

    ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday filed an appeal in Islamabad High Court (IHC), challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict which stayed the notification of new MPAs on Punjab reserved seats after they fell vacant following the de-seating of 25 dissident PTI lawmakers, ARY News reported.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan had stayed the notification of new MPAs on five seats of the Punjab Assembly till the by-elections.

    The petition, filed by PTI General Secretary Asad Umar, maintained that ECP’s June 2 verdict on PA reserved seats is against the law.

    The petitioner maintained that the election body was bound to issue notification for the reserved seats as per the party’s priority list but the ECP stopped the notification till the by-election on 20 seats which is a violation of the law.

    The plea also mentioned the names of PTI members on the party’s priority list for the reserved seats. Batool Zain, Saira Raza and Fauzia Abbas are in the priority list.

    The plea urged ECP to declare ECP’s verdict issued on June 2 null and void.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan on June 2 stayed the notification of new MPAs on five seats of the Punjab Assembly.

    A five-member ECP bench – headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) – announced the verdict. The decision was announced in light of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) directives to dispose of the matter by June 2.

    According to the verdict, the allocation of reserved seats — three women and two minorities — would be notified after the conclusion of the by-election for 20 vacant Punjab Assembly seats.

    It is pertinent to mention here that this is the third time the PTI has approached the court over the reserved seats matter.

    Earlier, the former ruling party in Centre and Punjab had approached Lahore High Court (LHC) against reserved seats.

  • Deadlock persists between PPP, PML-N over Punjab cabinet portfolios

    Deadlock persists between PPP, PML-N over Punjab cabinet portfolios

    LAHORE: Despite multiple meetings between PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the new coalition set up in Punjab has yet to reach understanding over the distribution of portfolios, ARY News reported on Tuesday citing sources.

    Sources privy to the development told ARY News that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has once again shown reservations over cabinet portfolios and demanded key ministries in the provincial set up.

    PPP – a key coalition partner of ruling PML-N in Punjab – is interested in three portfolios of finance, education and law but CM Hamza wants them within his party.

    In this regard, PPP co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari recently held a detailed meeting with Punjab CM Hamza Shehbaz in Lahore last week to end the impasse over their “due share” in the coalition government.

    Sources say that Asif Zardari will hold another meeting with PML-N leadership over the cabinet formation and deadlock between two parties is likely to end by tonight.

    Earlier, it was reported that the second phase of oaths of the Punjab cabinet members is likely to be postponed again as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership showed reservations.

    Read More: ASIF ALI ZARDARI, CM HAMZA AGREE TO JOINTLY CONTEST PUNJAB BY-POLLS

    It was learnt that the second phase of oaths of the Punjab cabinet will be held after the unveiling of the provincial budget.

    Sources said that Awais Leghari is likely to present Punjab’s budget for FY2022-23. The provincial finance department forwarded the budget speech to Leghari, sources added.

  • Two more polio cases detected in North Waziristan

    Two more polio cases detected in North Waziristan

    ISLAMABAD: Two more cases of the crippling police disease were confirmed in North Waziristan on Friday, taking the tally for the current year to six, ARY News reported.

    Health officials confirmed that an 18-month old baby girl and boy, resident of Mir Ali, tested positive for the virus.

    The wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was confirmed in two children from the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by the polio laboratory at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, the statement read.

    It is learnt that the said children were not administered anti-polio drops during the drive against the crippling disease.

    After staying in a polio-free country for almost 15 months, Pakistan has reported four cases of polio in 2022 so far. All the cases have been reported in North Waziristan.

    A five-day anti-polio campaign is currently underway across Pakistan. The polio drive began on May 23.

    During the campaign, approximately 43.3 million children under the age of five years will be administered the anti-polio vaccine, reported Radio Pakistan.

    Read more: Pakistan reports fourth polio case

    A supplementary dose of Vitamin A drops will also be administered to children aged 6 to 59 months. Around 340,000 frontline workers will take part in the campaign to administer vaccines to the children at their doorsteps.

    Earlier, inaugurating the campaign, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had assured that the government would take all measures to eradicate this crippling disease from the country.