NUT (WEB DESK) Pakistan has reported 149 deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 756,285. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 16,243 on today.

According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 6,127 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Till now 7,430 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab 4,551 in Sindh, 2,867 in KP, 636 in Islamabad, 433 in Azad Kashmir, 223 in Balochistan, and 103 in GB.

Furthermore 272,197 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 267,572 in Punjab, 105,438 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 69,556 in Islamabad, 20,822 in Balochistan, 15,524 in Azad Kashmir and 5,176 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistan has so far conducted 11,144,367 coronavirus tests and 71,836 in the last 24 hours. 659,483 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas 4,446 patients are in critical condition.

NUT (Web Desk) According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) 4,976 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Till now 7,333 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab 4,544 in Sindh, 2,832 in KP, 631 in Islamabad, 428 in Azad Kashmir, 223 in Balochistan, and 103 in GB.

Furthermore 271,524 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 264,010 in Punjab, 104,480 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 68,906 in Islamabad, 20,760 in Balochistan, 15,304 in Azad Kashmir and 5,174 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistan has so far conducted 11,072,531 coronavirus tests and 65,279 in the last 24 hours. 654,956 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas 4,149 patients are in critical condition.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) BankIslami, one of Pakistan’s fastest growing Islamic finance institutions has partnered with TPL Life to offer a consolidated COVID-19 coverage plan for customers. The package is a complete Shariah compliant takaful plan for the entire family with up to PKR 30,000 initial benefits upon diagnosis and further Hospital Cash Assistance for each member under the only COVID Protection Shield available to individuals.

“At present, the country is experiencing it’s third wave of infections with new variants of the virus being detected causing positivity ratio of cases to spike. This plan comes at a relevant time from Pakistan’s first Takaful provider and is a leading product giving coverage against COVID-19 related expenses. The cover also include provision for funeral expenses worth up to PKR 100,000 in case of an unfortunate demise. It is a result of a partnership between two of the country’s foremost institutions that are offering Islamic finance and takaful solutions for the benefits of masses across the country.

Speaking at the occasion, BankIslami CEO, Syed Amir Ali stated; “COVID-19 is the most challenging health crises that we have witnessed in modern history. Although vaccinations have begun, infections are still on the rise and there are many people struggling to find the resources to provide effective treatment for themselves and their family members. At BankIslami, our customers have always been the first priority and we are personifying our commitment towards them with this industry first plan in partnership with TPL Life.”

TPL Life takaful CEO, Faisal Shahzad Abbasi, who was also present during the signing ceremony further noted; “At TPL Life, we understand what is at stake for people across the country in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal has always been to facilitate consumers in every way possible and this takaful plan is designed to meet one of the most pressing needs that people are facing at the moment. We believe that this plan will enable many families to afford the care that they need.”

BankIslami is amongst the country’s leading Banks that specialize in Riba-free banking products. The institution empowers customers across the country to accept financial inclusion on terms that are in tandem with Islamic principles.   

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Emirates’ one-of-a-kind flight EK2021 proudly made a journey across the different emirates, to celebrate the UAE’s remarkable progress in vaccinating its citizens and residents from COVID-19 through a national vaccination programme that has administered close to 9 million vaccines doses to date.

The special flight, which carried fully vaccinated crew and passengers onboard, was unprecedented in the industry in scale. With close to 400 fully vaccinated customers onboard, the flight illustrates confidence and undiminished excitement for air travel.

EK2021 was also supported by fully vaccinated teams across the aviation eco-system, from onboard crew to ground staff, demonstrating the readiness of the UAE’s aviation eco-system to support the safe rebound of air travel.

In spite of the pandemic, the UAE has maintained its status as a leading global aviation hub and it will continue to grow its position as a hub for passengers and cargo traffic by investing in innovations and close collaborations with all stakeholders.

Onboard EK2021 was a group of senior officials from key aviation and health sector entities hosted by Emirates.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said: 

“The UAE’s rapid pace and progress in vaccinating our population is a testament of our leadership’s vision and commitment to safeguard our communities, and manage the pandemic by adopting the appropriate measures to protect both nationals and residents. Today’s flight is a showcase of the combined efforts and dedication of all stakeholders in supporting the vaccination programme, and the implementation of protocols in the past 12 months to ensure a safe travel journey, stimulate passenger traffic and set the groundwork for the ramp up of air travel in the near future. Emirates continues to support the national vaccination programme and we are pleased with the progress made within the group in vaccinating our employees.”

The UAE currently has one of the world’s highest rate of vaccinations for its citizens and residents at 90.22 doses per 100 people. The outstanding effort by the health authorities in the UAE has contributed to reaching the administration of close to 9 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In parallel, the Emirates Group vaccination programme rolled out to its UAE-based workforce less than three months ago, and since then has delivered COVID-19 shots to over 35,000 Emirates employees across its vaccination centres.

Today’s flight was operated with Emirates’ newest A380 aircraft which featured the airline’s brand-new Premium Economy seats, and refreshed cabin interiors across every cabin class. First and Business Class customers were able to safely network and mingle in the iconic A380 Onboard Lounge. In addition, all customers enjoyed a full-course meal.

Combining the most advanced aviation technology and an inspired cabin design, The A380 remains a customer favourite for its unmatched comfort and spaciousness. This month, Airbus has launched a travel companion app called “Tripset”. The application aggregates and provides flight and travel information to ease and restore passenger’s trust in their end-to-end journey when traveling by air during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing passengers with the latest and most relevant travel conditions, restriction and health requirements in place, without having to consult a variety of sources. Tripset is part of Airbus’ continuing commitment, alongside airlines, industry partners and regulatory agencies, to encourage the flying public to keep trust in air travel, supporting the safe and well-coordinated return to flight, which is essential for economic recovery from COVID-19.

On the ground, passengers checked in using the latest biometric technologies for a seamless journey across multiple touchpoints. Biometric touchpoints were recently expanded to include over 18 check-in desks and 15 boarding gates at the airport. As a result, customers across all classes enjoyed seamless biometric entry to experience the First and Business Class lounge at DXB.

All EK2021 passengers were provided rapid COVID-19 PCR tests, facilitated by Pure Health. Pure Health, the largest integrated healthcare solutions provider in the UAE, has facilitated the administration of up to 4 million PCR tests at Dubai Airports to date. It has also played a vital role in providing COVID-19 testing support to the aviation industry at large, since the start of the pandemic.

After passengers checked in, they received the green ‘Choose to Vaccinate’ pin and took photos to mark the special event. All EK2021 customers who passed through immigration also received a bespoke ‘Choose to Vaccinate’ stamp on each boarding pass as an added keepsake.

As passengers disembarked, they were handed commemorative certificates for taking part in this initiative.

EK2021 was commanded by UAE National Captain Ahmed Al Obeidli, First Officer Ramon Wilde and flight deck crew were supported by Captain Ricky Garala. Earlier in the day, aviation entities across Dubai and the UAE were sending their messages of support on Twitter in advance of the special flight.

All proceeds for EK2021 have been donated to the Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline’s non-profit charity organisation which supports projects around the world aimed at improving the quality of life for disadvantaged children around the world.

 

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Women and girls came out for the LADIESFUND Woman Plant a Tree Day held at Moin Akhtar Park. Dawood Global Foundation, as part of its commitment to the environment, sustainability and climate change, collaborated with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, to invite women & girls to plant trees at Moin Akhtar Park. Veteran gardeners supervised and guided the plantation, and each planter was given a “Certificate of Good Citizenship” from LADIESFUND.

Keynote Addresses on “How to Have the Best Garden in Town” were given by Environmental Authority Tofiq Pasha Mooraj as well as Former National Chairperson of the Floral Art Society of Pakistan Farida Kalim. Strict SOPs were in place with a limited number of guests at any time permitted. Spotted were German Consul General Holger Ziegeler and his wife Claudia, British Deputy Head of Mission Muna Shamsuddin, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Sheema Kermani, UN’s Saeeda Fancy, Syeda Sarwat Gilani, Spenta Kandawalla, and Frieha Altaf. Shaniera Akram, who was traveling, requested a tree be planted by LADIESFUND in her name.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Japan emerged as model country for tobacco harm reduction when it reduced its smoking rate by nearly a third in a span of three to four years since the introduction of non-combustible alternatives to cigarettes in 2014.

A public health expert said Japan accomplished this milestone following the introduction of heated tobacco products (HTPs).  Dr. Kumamaru Hiroya, vice director of the AOI Universal Hospital in Kawasaki, said this rate of decline in smoking incidence was not observed after years of trying nicotine replacement therapy (NTP).

He said that while NTPs such as nicotine patches proved ineffective in reducing the smoking rate in Japan, the commercial launch of HTPs like IQOS from Philip Morris International (PMI) in 2014, following a market test in 2013, led to a substantial decrease in smoking rate.

“In conclusion, after nicotine replacement therapy direction has been tried, they were not really a big success. However, ever since 2014, three heated tobacco products have been launched officially nationwide in Japan and these have been penetrating 25 percent [of total smoking population], and this product has been successful to reduce cigarette smoking in Japan so far by 30 percent in three to four years,” Dr. Hiroya, a preventive physician specializing in smoking cessation, said during a recent webinar organized by business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.

HTPs are non-combustible alternatives to cigarettes that closely mimic the rituals of smoking minus the combustion process. These electronic devices heat, instead of burn, specially-designed tobacco units to release flavorful nicotine-containing tobacco vapor. Results of scientific studies show that tar and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, causes the death and disease associated with smoking, and not nicotine.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of IQOS, the tobacco heating system of PMI, as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) on July 7, 2020.

The FDA authorized the marketing of IQOS in the US with the information that the IQOS system heats tobacco but does not burn it and scientific studies have shown that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system significantly reduces the body’s exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.

The webinar, titled “Tobacco Harm Reduction and Novel Nicotine and Tobacco Products-Evidence from the Japanese Market” focused on the experience of the Japanese market following the launch of novel nicotine and tobacco products (NNTPs), specifically HTPs in Japan since 2014.  The event was moderated by Yvonne Lucas of Frost & Sullivan.

Dr. Hiroya said HTP users account for about 30 percent among Japanese male smokers and 25 percent among female smokers.  He said dual use of cigarettes and HTPs remains low at 6.9 percent among male smokers and 4.8 percent among female smokers.

A study by Tottori University Medical School funded by Ministry of Health and Welfare also shows that the initiation to HTP use among 60,000 Japanese junior high-school students was very low at just 0.1 percent belying fears of youth uptake.

Mark Dougan, director of Transformational Health at Frost & Sullivan, said the case of Japan, being the world’s largest market of HTPs, deserves to be studied because of the significant reduction in smoking rate in the country.

“The reason we’re focusing on the Japanese market is because NNTPs have been commercially available in Japan since 2014. It’s by far the world’s largest market, and they put it to be commercially available now for seven years,” he said.