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Confirmed cases rise to 340,251 against 317,086 recoveries and 6,923 deaths, leaving 16,242 active cases
Pakistan on Friday reported 1,376 infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 35,745 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.85 percent.
Despite the Tablighi Jamaat being a proven spreading event in March—helping distribute the coronavirus pandemic throughout the country while cases were still in double digits—the government has permitted it to go ahead once more in Lahore, in seeming disregard of the ongoing second wave. In a statement, the PTI-led government in Punjab said the event would proceed in Lahore from today (Friday), and last 3 days. It said that 54,000 participants from across the country would attend, though no one from outside the country would be allowed to participate this year.
Pakistan’s health authorities have been sounding the alarm about a second wave of the virus for several weeks now. Daily infections and deaths are once more on the rise, raising fears that disease is making a comeback as the public becomes more apathetic toward social distancing measures. 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 WHO, Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which recent studies have suggested comprise the majority of infections in the country.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 340,251 (Tests: 4,609,513)
Punjab – 105,856
Sindh – 148,343
Balochistan – 16,033
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 40,148
Islamabad – 20,967
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,332
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 4,572
Deaths – 6,923
Recoveries – 317,086
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Friday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 340,251. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 30 to 6,923. At the same time, recoveries increased by 421 to 317,086, or 93.2 percent of total infections. There are currently 16,242 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 830 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Friday, authorities reported 5 new deaths due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,390. The province raised its confirmed cases to 105,856 with 321 new infections after conducting 14,109 tests. Meanwhile, its recoveries have increased by 17 to 97,549. There are now 5,917 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Friday rose by 556 to 148,343 after conducting 11,530 tests. The province reported 17 new deaths, raising toll to 2,664, while its recoveries rose by 233 to 139,866. Overall, the province now has 5,813 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Friday reported 3 deaths, raising toll to 1,287. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 43 to 37,866 while its confirmed cases have increased by 126 to 40,148 after conducting 3,219 tests. The province currently has 995 active cases of coronavirus.
Balochistan
The province on Friday raised its confirmed cases to 16,033 with 7 new infections after conducting 161 tests. There were no new deaths and 27 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 152 fatalities and 15,660 recoveries. There are now 221 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Friday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 273 to 20,967 after conducting 5,740 tests. There were 2 deaths and 65 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 231 casualties; 18,570 recoveries; and 2,166 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday increased by 12 to 4,332 after conducting 410 tests. The region reported no new deaths and 12 recoveries, leaving 92 fatalities and 4,070 recoveries. There are currently 170 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, 576 tests were conducted, raising confirmed cases by 81 to 4,572. There were 24 recoveries and 3 deaths in the past 24 hours, leaving 107 fatalities and 3,505 fully recovered. It now has 960 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 49,035,014 people, with over 1,239,660 reported deaths. Governments across the word halted flights, locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home at the peak of the virus’s spread, but have since eased restrictions to help shuttered economies rebound. With a second wave now emerging, countries with new spikes have started to re-impose movement restrictions. Overall, around 34,984,442 patients of the 49 million+ infected have recovered thus far.