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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 937,434, against 871,669 recoveries and 21,529 deaths, leaving 44,236 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday reported 1,303 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 41,824 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.11 percent.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Wednesday announced an easing of restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus during the third wave of the pandemic, including resuming 100 percent attendance in offices from June 15; raising the permissible seating capacity of public transport to 70 percent; and restoring interprovincial transport on the weekends. At the same time, the forum overseeing the national response to the pandemic announced that the government was making it mandatory for employees of public and private sector companies to get vaccinated.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 937,434 (Tests: 13,705,490)
Punjab – 343,252
Sindh – 325,738
Balochistan – 26,052
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 135,162
Islamabad – 81,933
Gilgit-Baltistan – 5,674
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 19,623
Deaths – 21,529
Recoveries – 871,669
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 937,434. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 76 to 21,529. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,978 to 871,669, or 93 percent of total infections. There are currently 44,236 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 2,967 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported 39 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 10,436. The province now has 343,252 confirmed cases; it reported 221 new infections after conducting 11,497 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.92 percent. There were 758 new recoveries recorded, leaving 320,723 fully recovered, and 12,093 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 325,738; it reported 628 new infections on Thursday after administering 13,972 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.5 percent. The province reported 19 deaths, raising toll to 5,183, while its recoveries rose by 574 to 296,821. Overall, the province now has 23,734 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 234 new infections after conducting 10,375 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.25 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 135,162. It recorded 15 new deaths and 379 recoveries, raising toll to 4,185 and recoveries to 127,139. There are currently 3,838 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Thursday raised its confirmed cases to 26,052 with 91 new infections after administering 1,222 tests for a positivity ratio of 7.45 percent. There were no deaths and 47 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 291 fatalities and 24,598 fully recovered. There are now 1,163 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 62 to 81,933 after conducting 3,682 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.68 percent. There were 2 deaths and 140 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 768 casualties; 78,478 recovered; and 2,687 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday recorded 10 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 386 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.72 percent; it now has 5,674 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 25 recoveries, leaving 107 fatalities and 5,473 fully recovered people. There are currently 94 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 57 to 19,623 after administering 690 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.3 percent. There was 1 death and 55 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 559 fatalities and 18,437 fully recovered. It now has 627 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 175,177,177 people, with over 3,777,097 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 158,696,555 patients of the 175.2 million+ infected have recovered thus far.