London’s Imperial College estimates that COVID19 pandemic in Pakistan is “on course to fade out”, a testimony to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government’s effective handling of the the ongoing global health crisis. At just 0.74, the effective coronavirus reproduction rate (Rt) in Pakistan is among the lowest in the world. An Rt of less than 1 indicates each infected person is infecting fewer than one person. Only Italy (0.63), Netherlands (0.62), Canada (0.50) and Spain (0.02) have lower reproduction rates than Pakistan’s. However, this is no time to relax. Pakistanis need to continue to take all precautions, including wearing face masks, to ensure that COVID19 fades out in the country.
Pakistan’s coronavirus transmission rate is lowest in its region. Neighboring India’s Rt is 1.14, Iran’s 1.12, Bangladesh 0.96 and Afghanistan’s 0.93 are all significantly higher than Pakistan’s 0.74.
The latest numbers vindicate Pakistan government’s “smart lockdown” strategy of requiring face masks and selective lockdowns of hotspots. Pakistan’s strategy has been aimed at balancing lives and livelihoods in the middle of a deadly pandemic that has infected more than 11 million people globally, and claimed over 4,500 lives in Pakistan and more than half a million lives around the world. Developed western nations, particularly US and UK, have been among the worst affected by it.
Weekly COVID19 deaths in Pakistan have declined to 577 this week from 869 last week. To put it perspective, about 4,000 Pakistanis died everyday from various causes before the current pandemic.
The number of people testing positive in Pakistan has declined to 1 in 6.36 (15.7%) from the peak of 1 in 4.47 (22.3%) on June 4, 2020.
From the beginning of the pandemic, Pakistan’s strategy has been aimed at balancing lives and livelihoods. The latest numbers vindicate Pakistan government’s “smart lockdown” strategy of requiring face masks and selective lockdowns of hotspots. However, this is no time to relax. Pakistanis need to continue to take all precautions, including wearing face masks, to ensure that COVID19 fades out in the country.
