Pakistan reports highest single-day spike in COVID-19 deaths; Army to enforce SOPs

Pakistan has reported 157 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike in deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The tally of coronavirus infections crossed the 790,016 mark as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Friday that the government will seek the Pakistan Army and Rangers' help to enforce the Standard operating procedure (SOPs) to control spread of the virus, Pakistan Today reported.

Amid the rapid rise in cases, Imran Khan has appealed to the people of Pakistan to adhere to the government-prescribed SOPs to control the third wave of the virus.

Pak PM said that if the SOPs are not followed, the government will be compelled to impose a lockdown.

"People are telling me to impose a lockdown today, but we are not going to do so because, and I keep repeating this, daily wagers and labourers will suffer the most."

He also announced that the government will seek the Pakistan Army and Rangers' help to enforce the Standard operating procedures.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that authorities were struggling to maintain the much-needed supply of oxygen to hospitals for coronavirus patients.

"We have reached 90 per cent capacity of oxygen supplies and a big chunk of it is being used to treat patients with coronavirus infection," Umar said.

Earlier today, Pakistan PM Imran Khan expressed his solidarity with the people of India amid the "dangerous" second wave of COVID-19, adding that "we must fight this global challenge confronting humty together".

"I want to express our solidarity with people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of #COVID19. Our prayers for speedy recovery go to all those suffering from pandemic in our neighbourhood and world," Khan tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )