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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 938,737, against 873,543 recoveries and 21,576 deaths, leaving 43,618 active cases
Pakistan on Friday reported 1,303 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 40,483 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.22 percent.
The Punjab government on Thursday announced it was extending till June 30 some restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, including requiring all markets to shutter by 8 p.m. and only allowing vaccinated people to enter shrines. In line with directives of the National Command and Operation Center, it said public and private offices would be allowed to operate 6 days a week—barring exempted sectors—while Sundays would be observed as “closed” days. Indoor dining would also remain banned, while outdoor dining and shopping malls would be allowed to operate until midnight daily.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 938,737 (Tests: 13,745,973)
Punjab – 343,499
Sindh – 326,413
Balochistan – 26,084
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 135,383
Islamabad – 82,001
Gilgit-Baltistan – 5,682
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 19,675
Deaths – 21,576
Recoveries – 873,543
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Friday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 938,737. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 47 to 21,576. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,874 to 873,543, or 93.1 percent of total infections. There are currently 43,618 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 2,841 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Friday, authorities reported 21 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 10,457. The province now has 343,499 confirmed cases; it reported 247 new infections after conducting 12,323 tests, a positivity ratio of 2 percent. There were 189 new recoveries recorded, leaving 320,912 fully recovered, and 12,130 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 326,413; it reported 675 new infections on Friday after administering 13,245 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.1 percent. The province reported 13 deaths, raising toll to 5,196, while its recoveries rose by 725 to 297,546. Overall, the province now has 23,671 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 221 new infections after conducting 9,757 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.26 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 135,383. It recorded 9 new deaths and 325 recoveries, raising toll to 4,194 and recoveries to 127,464. There are currently 3,725 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Friday raised its confirmed cases to 26,084 with 32 new infections after administering 877 tests for a positivity ratio of 3.65 percent. There was 1 death and 111 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 292 fatalities and 24,709 fully recovered. There are now 1,083 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Friday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 68 to 82,001 after conducting 3,413 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.99 percent. There was 1 death and 464 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 769 casualties; 78,942 recovered; and 2,290 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday recorded 8 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 407 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.97 percent; it now has 5,682 confirmed cases. The region reported 1 new death and 3 recoveries, leaving 108 fatalities and 5,476 fully recovered people. There are currently 98 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 52 to 19,675 after administering 461 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.28 percent. There was 1 death and 57 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 560 fatalities and 18,494 fully recovered. It now has 621 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 175,622,445 people, with over 3,788,723 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 159,171,963 patients of the 175.6 million+ infected have recovered thus far.