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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 1,374,800, against 1,269,078 recoveries and 29,105 deaths, leaving 76,617 active cases
Pakistan on Monday reported 7,195 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 57,401 tests—a positivity ratio of 12.5 percent.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Saturday restricted entry to mosques to fully vaccinated individuals in a bid to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus amidst the ongoing fifth wave of the pandemic. The requirements for mosques also include mandatory masks; a six-foot distance between congregants during prayer; removal of carpets and shorter sermons for Friday prayers. The government has, thus far, maintained that it would not impose any lockdowns as the country’s economy cannot afford it. However, it is restricting several activities to only fully vaccinated individuals and imposing stricter measures in districts with positivity over 10 percent.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 1,374,800 (Tests: 24,590,353)
Punjab – 464,431
Sindh – 526,899
Balochistan – 33,941
Khyber–Pakhtunkhwa – 185,340
Islamabad – 118,292
Gilgit-Baltistan – 10,497
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 35,400
Deaths – 29,105
Recoveries – 1,269,078
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 1,374,800. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 8 to 29,105. At the same time, recoveries increased by 833 to 1,269,078, or 92.3 percent of total infections. There are currently 76,617 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 1,113 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Monday, authorities reported 3 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 13,108. The province now has 464,431 confirmed cases; it reported 2,108 new infections after administering 21,926 tests, a positivity ratio of 9.6 percent. There were 96 new recoveries recorded, leaving 432,063 fully recovered, and 19,260 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 526,899; it reported 3,125 new infections on Monday after conducting 16,706 tests, a positivity ratio of 18.7 percent. The province reported 3 deaths and 474 recoveries, leaving 7,741 deaths and 474,829 total recovered. Overall, the province now has 44,329 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Monday reported 885 new cases after administering 10,015 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.8 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 185,340. It recorded 1 new death and 70 recoveries, raising toll to 5,975 and recoveries to 175,765. There are currently 3,600 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Monday raised its total confirmed cases to 33,941, reporting 31 new infections after conducting 486 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.4 percent. There were no deaths and 3 recoveries reported in the past 24 hours, leaving 367 fatalities and 33,293 fully recovered. There are now 281 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases to 118,292, reporting 856 new cases after conducting 6,730 tests, a positivity ratio of 12.72 percent. There were no deaths and 175 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 976 casualties; 108,884 recovered; and 8,432 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported 8 new cases of coronavirus on Monday after conducting 261 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.06 percent; it currently has 10,497 confirmed cases. There were no deaths and 5 recoveries reported in the past 24 hours, leaving 187 fatalities; 10,251 fully recovered people; and 59 active cases of COVID-19.
Pakistan-administered Kashmir has reported 182 new cases of COVID-19 after administering 1,277 tests, a positivity ratio of 14.2 percent, raising confirmed cases to 35,400. There was 1 death and 10 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 751 fatalities and 33,993 fully recovered. It now has 656 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 352,129,196 people, with over 5,614,790 reported deaths. The globe is in the midst of yet another COVID-19 surge, as the highly infectious Omicron variant that was originally identified in South Africa sweeps across nations. While the new variant has been deemed less deadly than earlier iterations of the coronavirus, health experts have stressed that even a “mild” case can prove debilitating and urged people to exercise caution, wear masks, and avoid large gatherings. The World Health Organization continues to call for “vaccine equality,” i.e. for developed nations to stop hoarding vaccines in excess of their requirements and to share them with the developing world, stressing that deploying vaccine boosters for the already vaccinated does not help counter the mutation of new variants in populations that have yet to be inoculated. Overall, around 279,852,023 patients of the 352.1 million+ infected have recovered thus far.