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Confirmed infections hit 298,025 against 282,553 recoveries and 6,340 deaths, leaving 9,132 active cases
Pakistan on Saturday recorded 513 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 24,857 tests—a positivity ratio of 2.1 percent.
Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood on Friday said the government was considering various proposals for a safe reopening of educational institutions, reiterating that a meeting on Sept. 7 (Monday) would finalize whether or not schools should open from Sept. 15. He said the initial plan called for the reopening of grades 9 and up first, followed by grades 6 through 8 after a week. He said primary classes would only resume if the coronavirus-related indicators remained “normal.”
Pakistan’s welcome decline in daily infections and deaths, meanwhile, has encountered some trepidation from observers who warn that the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 68,190—reduced from a peak of 71,780—and is currently testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers. Medical experts have also warned that the government’s decision to end nearly all movement restrictions at once risks a second wave of the virus.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 298,025 (Tests: 2,732,325)
Punjab – 97,118
Sindh – 130,253
Balochistan – 13,157
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 36,498
Islamabad – 15,726
Gilgit-Baltistan – 2,960
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,313
Deaths – 6,340
Recoveries – 282,553
In the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m., Saturday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 298,025, while deaths increased by 5 to 6,340. At the same time, recoveries increased by 285 to 282,553, or 94.8 percent of total infections. There are currently 9,132 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 535 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Saturday, authorities reported 2 new deaths due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,208. The province conducted 7,286 tests, raising confirmed cases to 97,118 with 74 new infections. Meanwhile, its recoveries have increased by 13 to 92,552. There are now 2,358 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Saturday rose by 212 to 130,253 against 10,145 tests. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 2 to 2,422, while its recoveries rose by 205 to 124,012. Overall, the province now has 3,819 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Saturday reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 1,255. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 24 to 34,249, while its confirmed cases have increased by 84 to 36,498. The province conducted 2,834 tests on Friday and currently has 994 active cases of coronavirus.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Saturday rose by 112 to 13,157 after conducting 568 tests. There was 1 new death, raising fatalities to 144, while there were no new recoveries, sustaining tally at 11,861. There are now 1,152 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Saturday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 12 to 15,726 after conducting 3,373 tests. There were no new deaths and 26 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining casualties at 175 and raising recoveries to 15,120, leaving 431 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 12 on Saturday to 2,960 after conducting 297 tests. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 71, while its recoveries have increased by 9 to 2,597, leaving 292 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 7 to 2,313 after conducting 354 tests. There was no new death and 8 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 65 fatalities and 2,162 fully recovered. It now has 86 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 26,795,708 people, with over 878,963 reported deaths. Governments across the word halted flights, locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home at the peak of the virus’s spread, but there are now signs of easements to help shuttered economies recover. Overall, around 18,907,482 patients of the 26.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.