File photo. Courtesy PID
Confirmed infections hit 295,849 against 280,682 recoveries and 6,294 deaths, leaving 8,873 active cases
Pakistan on Monday recorded 213 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 18,017 tests—a positivity ratio of 1.18 percent.
According to local media, 200 Pakistanis stranded in India due to the suspension of train services in both countries over the COVID-19 pandemic, would be allowed to return home on Sept. 3. The repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis would take place via the Attari-Wagah Border.
Pakistan’s welcome decline in daily infections and deaths, meanwhile, has encountered some trepidation from observers who warn that the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 68,190—reduced from a peak of 71,780—and is currently testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers. Medical experts have also warned that the government’s decision to end nearly all movement restrictions at once risks a second wave of the virus.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 295,849 (Tests: 2,621,146)
Punjab – 96,769 (Tests: 942,512)
Sindh – 129,348 (Tests: 1,000,747)
Balochistan – 12,869 (Tests: 74,194)
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 36,044 (Tests: 271,669)
Islamabad – 15,625 (Tests: 263,301)
Gilgit-Baltistan – 2,896 (Tests: 23,635)
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,298 (Tests: 33,002)
Deaths – 6,294
Recoveries – 280,682
In the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 295,849, while deaths increased by 6 to 6,294. At the same time, recoveries increased by 135 to 280,682, or 94.9 percent of total infections. There are currently 8,873 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 604 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Monday, authorities reported 2 new deaths due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,198. The province reported 28 new infections, raising confirmed cases to 96,769, while its recoveries have increased by 10 to 92,481. There are now 2,090 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Monday rose by 80 to 129,348. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 3 to 2,401, while its recoveries rose by 37 to 122,939. Overall, the province now has 4,008 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Monday reported no new deaths, sustaining death toll at 1,250. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 24 to 33,950, while its confirmed cases have increased by 27 to 36,044. There are currently 844 active cases of coronavirus in the province.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Monday rose by 27 to 12,869. No new deaths were recorded, sustaining fatalities at 141, while 55 more patients have now fully recovered, raising to 11,756 the number of people who have beaten the virus. There are now 972 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 14 to 15,625. There were no new deaths and 8 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining death toll at 175 and raising recoveries to 14,975, leaving 475 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 33 on Monday to 2,896. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 67, while its recoveries have increased by 1 to 2,466, leaving 363 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 4 to 2,298. There was 1 new death and no new recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 62 fatalities and 2,115 fully recovered. It now has 121 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 25,386,928 people, with over 850,592 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 there are now signs of easements to help shuttered economies recover. Overall, around 17,708,719 patients of the 25.3 million+ infected have recovered thus far.