LAHORE: The Covid-19 positivity rate was 4.5 per cent in Punjab on Wednesday.

It was 17.1pc in Rawalpindi, the highest one reported in any city across the province during the fourth wave of the deadly virus.

The data shows that the Delta variant is taking heavy toll in Punjab as the number of cases is alarmingly increasing with every passing day.

According to Covid-19 update released on Wednesday, the infectivity rate of the virus was recorded 5.8pc in Lahore, 4.6pc in Faisalabad and 4.2pc in Multan.

The data shows the Punjab reported 934 new cases and 21 deaths during the last 24 hours. Of the new positive cases, Lahore recorded 455, the highest figure reported in the city in a day during the current wave.

According to official figures, the total number of infections in Punjab reached 359,321.

Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Sarah Aslam said the infectivity rate was increasing in major cities of the province due to the presence of highly infectious Indian Delta variant.

She said the Punjab government had expedited the vaccination process as the health teams were giving jabs to over 500,000 people daily to stop transmission of the virus.

The secretary said the health department administered vaccine to record 627,487 people during the last 24 hours in Punjab.

She said 662 vaccination centres were functioning across the province to facilitate the public.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2021