Pakistan on Monday reported 675 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 14,632 tests—a positivity ratio of 4.61 percent.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 1,538,622 (Tests: 29,060,368)
Punjab – 508,807
Sindh – 582,623
Balochistan – 35,577
Khyber–Pakhtunkhwa – 220,123
Islamabad – 136,318
Gilgit-Baltistan – 11,762
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 43,411
Deaths – 30,403
Recoveries – 1,500,416
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 1,538,622. Meanwhile, there were 2 deaths reported, raising toll to 30,403. At the same time, recoveries increased by 370 to 1,500,416, or 97.5 percent of total infections. There are currently 7,803 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the National Institute of Health (NIH) saying 153 of them require critical care.
Sindh capital Karachi remains the city reporting the highest positivity ratio, 20.61 percent, with Abbottabad reporting 5.88 percent and Peshawar 4.51 percent.
Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel had earlier stressed that one of the reasons for some cities reporting high positivity rates was reduced testing, noting that if people were only getting tested when they were exhibiting symptoms, they would naturally comprise a larger proportion of the reported numbers. Speaking with daily Dawn, Dr. Javed Akram of the Task Force on COVID-19 said that apart from major urban centers, there was little in the form of proper testing for the coronavirus. Stressing that the sample size “matters more” than the positivity rate, he noted that up to 30 percent of all infected individuals never develop symptoms, as they are asymptomatic but continue to spread the virus.
The publication also cited an official of the Health Ministry as claiming the number of COVID cases being reported in the country was doubling every five days, with a visible increase in hospitalizations and deaths.