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With 2,738 new infections, confirmed cases rise to 368,665 against 327,542 recoveries and 7,561 deaths, leaving 33,562 active cases
Pakistan on Friday reported 2,738 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 42,909 tests—a positivity ratio of 6.38 percent.
The Punjab Health Department on Thursday night raised the total death toll due to COVID-19 in the province by 292—a shocking spike that a spokesperson has attributed to data correction. Journalist Benazir Shah has verified that private hospitals had been “under-reporting” COVID-19 deaths since April. “Now all data [from private hospitals] has been re-examined and 292 deaths, which initially were not reported, have been added to set record straight at all levels,” she quoted the spokesperson as saying.
The Pakistan government has acknowledged the country is now in the midst of a second wave of the virus, with health officials warning it appears deadlier than the first. Meanwhile, the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 73,572 and is currently testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which studies have suggested comprise the majority of infections in the country.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 368,665 (Tests: 5,098,291)
Punjab – 112,893
Sindh – 159,752
Balochistan – 16,642
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 43,259
Islamabad – 25,719
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,494
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 5,806
Deaths – 7,561
Recoveries – 327,542
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Friday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 368,927. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 36 to 7,561. At the same time, recoveries increased by 868 to 327,542, or 88.8 percent of total infections. There are currently 33,562 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 1,517 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Friday, authorities reported 15 new deaths due to the coronavirus—but total deaths increased from 2,519 to 2,811 due to a data audit, which found that private hospitals had been under-reporting COVID-19 deaths since April. The province now has 112,893 total confirmed cases; it reported 609 new infections after conducting 16,297 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.74 percent. There were 44 new recoveries recorded, leaving 97,890 fully recovered, and 12,192 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 159,752; it reported 1,193 new infections on Friday after conducting 14,470 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.24 percent. The province reported 16 new deaths, raising toll to 2,780, while its recoveries rose by 260 to 144,316. Overall, the province now has 12,656 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 307 new infections after conducting 4,269 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.19 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 43,359. It has recorded 1 new death, raising toll to 1,319, while its recoveries have risen by 185 to 39,647. There are currently 2,393 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Friday raised its confirmed cases to 16,642 with 60 new infections after conducting 704 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.5 percent. There was 1 new death, and 19 recoveries, in the past 24 hours, leaving 158 fatalities and 15,961 fully recovered. There are now 523 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Friday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 441 to 25,719 after conducting 6,153 tests; a positivity ratio of 7.17 percent. There was 1 death and 308 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 266 casualties; 21,222 recovered; and 4,231 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday increased by 12 to 4,494 after conducting 198 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.06 percent. The region reported no new deaths or recoveries, leaving 93 fatalities and 4,244 fully recovered people. There are currently 157 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 116 to 5,806 after conducting 818 tests, a positivity ratio of 14.18 percent. There were 52 recoveries and 2 deaths in the past 24 hours, leaving 134 fatalities and 4,262 fully recovered. It now has 1,410 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 57,239,456 people, with over 1,365,694 reported deaths. After a devastating first wave, the world is now reeling from a second wave of the coronavirus, with many countries imposing fresh lockdowns or targeted closures in a bid to curb the spread of the virus ahead of the upcoming winter holidays. Overall, around 39,734,430 patients of the 57.2 million+ infected have recovered thus far.