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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 942,189, against 878,740 recoveries and 21,723 deaths, leaving 41,726 active cases
Pakistan on Monday reported 1,019 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 39,214 tests—a positivity ratio of 2.6 percent.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Sunday revised restrictions imposed to prevent the entry of variant strains of the novel coronavirus, announcing that Pakistanis from Category C countries—travelers from which require special NCOC exemptions—could now enter Pakistan without going through the exemptions process. However, any foreigners would still need to acquire the exemption. Category C countries currently comprise Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Maldives, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and Uruguay.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 942,189 (Tests: 13,857,250)
Punjab – 344,065
Sindh – 328,184
Balochistan – 26,232
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 136,074
Islamabad – 82,139
Gilgit-Baltistan – 5,712
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 19,783
Deaths – 21,723
Recoveries – 878,740
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 942,189. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 34 to 21,723. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,549 to 878,740, or 93.3 percent of total infections. There are currently 41,726 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 2,676 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Monday, authorities reported 15 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 10,516. The province now has 344,065 confirmed cases; it reported 139 new infections after conducting 12,008 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.16 percent. There were 375 new recoveries recorded, leaving 322,254 fully recovered, and 11,295 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 328,184; it reported 580 new infections on Monday after administering 12,825 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.5 percent. The province reported 7 deaths, raising toll to 5,243, while its recoveries rose by 271 to 299,446. Overall, the province now has 23,495 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 197 new infections after conducting 9,250 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.13 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 136,074. It recorded 8 new deaths and 422 recoveries, raising toll to 4,224 and recoveries to 128,242. There are currently 3,608 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Monday raised its confirmed cases to 26,232 with 31 new infections after administering 893 tests for a positivity ratio of 3.47 percent. There were no deaths and 70 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 294 fatalities and 24,909 fully recovered. There are now 1,029 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 40 to 82,139 after conducting 3,486 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.15 percent. There was 1 death and 361 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 772 casualties; 79,710 recovered; and 1,657 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday recorded 5 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 361 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.38 percent; it now has 5,712 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths or recoveries, leaving 108 fatalities and 5,503 fully recovered people. There are currently 101 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 27 to 19,783 after administering 391 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.9 percent. There were 3 deaths and 50 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 566 fatalities and 18,676 fully recovered. It now has 541 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 176,723,813 people, with over 3,819,645 reported deaths. After having passed through two waves of the pandemic, the world is divided between countries that are either in the midst of a third wave driven by mutated variants, or have launched mass vaccination drives that are allowing them to reopen safely. There are mounting calls, including from the World Health Organization, 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 to help curb the spread of new mutated variants. Overall, around 160,769,404 patients of the 176.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.