As the COVID-19 is spreading across the world, Pakistan reports the highest single-day virus deaths. The officials have confirmed 97 more deaths from novel coronavirus in one day as the nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 1,935 and positive cases surged to 93,983.
According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 4,734 persons have been tested positive for COVID-19 in 24 hours.
COVID-19 updates:
• Number of virus cases in Africa tops 176,800
• India's confirmed infections overtake Italy's
• Pakistan reports highest single-day virus deathsLIVE blog for latest 👉 https://t.co/vqDaQIToeX pic.twitter.com/NFyHKGfwSv
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 6, 2020
Punjab has become the worst-hit province by the pandemic followed by Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
As of now 35,308 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Punjab, 34,889 in Sindh, 12,459 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5,776 in Balochistan, 4,323 in Islamabad, 897 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 331 in Azad Kashmir.
The federal government recently told the Supreme Court (SC) that citizens were not taking the Covid-19 threat seriously after the apex court’s remarks the other day, making it difficult for the administration to take measures to curb the viral outbreak.
Pakistan reports the highest single-day virus deaths: Private schools to be reopened in Sindh?
Terrifyingly, the heads of the Private Schools Action Committee (PSAC) said that education was not among the priorities of the government, adding that the school owners have decided to challenge the coronavirus ordinance and have already prepared school SOPs meaning they are going to reopen schools in Karachi from June 15.
The deadly pandemic is increasing in Pakistan and is likely to pose a serious public health crisis for the incumbent government in the coming days. Private school owners and religious clerics announce to reopen madrassas regardless of what the government proposes to follow.
Read More: Covid-19 intensified ‘Gender-Based Violence’ in Pakistan, but how?
Members of the Private Schools Action Committee at the Karachi Press Club said that the continuous closure of schools has led to starvation in the homes of our teachers and employees, even paying the electricity bill and school rent has become increasingly difficult.
It is worth noting that the apex court not only ordered the reopening of shopping malls but also noted that Pakistan “is not … seriously affected” by Covid-19 and that there is no pandemic in the country. However, Pakistan has had at least 43,966 confirmed cases and more than 900 deaths since March, and the numbers keep rising. At least 500 Pakistani healthcare workers have been infected too, which shows that the country has been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Notably, experts in Pakistan have warned against the premature easing of lockdown restrictions, fearing an exponential rise in infections. One healthcare worker said: “Everyone’s scared and exhausted. But we are fighting, we are pushing the limits. All we ask is that the government and people understand that they can help us help them by staying at home and providing us quality protective gear.”
Pakistan reports the highest single-day virus deaths but Pakistanis are largely violating the SOPs issued by the government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. Dr. Ahmed Usman, an Associate Professor of Sociology at the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, believes that: “Pakistani society is generally considered as a traditional society whose fabric is woven with the threads of norms, values, and cultures that are mostly shaped up by the complex theological underpinnings. Societal norms encourage social gatherings and overwhelming ways to express care, grief, and sorrow. The patterns of greetings are further formed as per religious frameworks that yet again emphasizes on kindness, generosity, and warmth ensured through reducing the physical gap between people. Religious rituals including Ibadaat at Mosques and religious congregations are considered compulsory in Islam. With this kind of widespread belief system, people believe that while they are in a state of ablution, no disease can harm them.”
Read More: COVID-19 in Pakistan: Is the government going to re-impose lockdown?
As people are violating the SOPs besides Pakistan reports the highest single-day virus deaths, Dr. Usman notes that “arguably, the belief system encourages them to violate the man-made rules of lockdown that they think are baseless and a conspiracy of enemies to weaken the connection between God and them. As lockdown restricts people from going to mosques and attending congregational prayers, it is considered an enemy’s tool to disconnect true Muslims from thy Lord.”