In a single day, 162 health care workers in Punjab test positive for COVID-19

An alarming 162 health care workers in Punjab have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, an official report reveals.

On June 1, according to the daily situation report of the Punjab government on coronavirus, a total of 562 healthcare workers have contracted the deadly disease in the province to date. That is 19.8% of the 2,831 healthcare providers sampled by the officials.

The figure is a huge uptick from the 400 healthcare workers in total who tested positive for the virus on May 31, according to the daily situation report of the day.

Separately, data from the federal ministry of national health services and regulations states that till June 1, three medics have died in Punjab while a total of 23 professional have died across Pakistan – nine in Sindh, five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one in Islamabad, two in Gilgit Baltistan and three in Balochistan.

However, the Young Doctors Association disputes the figures. The organization’s media wing told Geo.tv that as per their calculations, 28 healthcare professionals have died, of which 10 — eight doctors and two nurses — were in Punjab alone.

In the same report, it is also stated that 110 medical workers have recovered and been discharged to date.

This news comes at a time when medics across the country are expressing fear of running short on staff as more doctors, nurses and dispensers are sickened by the virus.