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Confirmed infections hit 508,824 against 464,950 recoveries and 10,772 deaths, leaving 33,102 active cases
Pakistan on Wednesday reported 2,123 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 39,450 tests—a positivity ratio of 5.38 percent.
Planning Minister Asad Umar on Tuesday told Geo News that while the government had thus far only managed to secure 1.1 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine, “talks are underway with multiple partners” to procure sufficient amounts to cover a majority of the population. He said the government would inoculate frontline healthcare workers first and then expand the vaccinations to elderly and at-risk populations, before providing it to the general public.
Despite a severe second wave of COVID-19, Pakistan has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 57,531, with daily testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan’s testing policies only record the most symptomatic patients—a belief substantiated by a Punjab government official as the “most efficient use of resources”—while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which studies suggest comprise the majority of infections nationwide.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 508,824 (Tests: 7,202,076)
Punjab – 146,525
Sindh – 228,949
Balochistan – 18,467
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 62,018
Islamabad – 39,462
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,882
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 8,521
Deaths – 10,772
Recoveries – 464,950
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Wednesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 508,824. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 55 to 10,772. At the same time, recoveries increased by 2,973 to 464,950, or 91.4 percent of total infections. There are currently 33,102 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 2,366 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Wednesday, authorities reported 24 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 4,323. The province now has 146,525 confirmed cases; it reported 509 new infections after conducting 14,005 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.63 percent. There were 147 new recoveries recorded, leaving 130,912 fully recovered, and 11,290 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 228,949; it reported 1,064 new infections on Wednesday after conducting 12,566 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.47 percent. The province reported 22 new deaths, raising toll to 3,730, while its recoveries rose by 2,312 to 209,239. Overall, the province now has 15,980 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 370 new infections after conducting 5,917 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.25 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 62,018. It recorded 5 new deaths, raising toll to 1,748, while its recoveries have risen by 313 to 57,027. There are currently 3,243 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Wednesday raised its confirmed cases to 18,467 with 38 new infections after conducting 514 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.39 percent. There were no deaths and 23 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 188 fatalities and 17,978 fully recovered. There are now 301 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Wednesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 122 to 39,462 after conducting 5,710 tests; a positivity ratio of 2.14 percent. There were 4 deaths and 154 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 447 casualties; 37,049 recovered; and 1,966 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported no new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday after conducting 370 tests; it now has 4,882 confirmed cases. The region reported no deaths and 5 recoveries, leaving 101 fatalities and 4,744 fully recovered people. There are currently 37 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 20 to 8,521 after conducting 368 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.43 percent. There were no deaths and 19 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 235 fatalities and 8,001 fully recovered. It now has 285 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 92,009,503 people, with over 1,970,095 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 its spread ahead of mass distribution of vaccines. Overall, around 65,822,523 patients of the 92 million+ infected have recovered thus far.