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Confirmed infections climb to 440,787 against 384,719 recoveries and 8,832 deaths, leaving 47,236 active cases
Pakistan on Monday reported 2,362 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 31,830 tests—a positivity ratio of 7.42 percent.
The federal government over the weekend increased its funding allocation to purchase vaccines for COVID-19 from $150 million to $250 million. Dr. Nausheen Hamid, parliamentary secretary for National Health Services, told a private broadcaster the budget had been enhanced to ensure timely procurement and distribution of the vaccine in 2021.
Despite a severe second wave of COVID-19, Pakistan has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 75,303, with daily testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which studies suggest comprise the majority of infections nationwide.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 440,787 (Tests: 6,064,220)
Punjab – 127,541
Sindh – 195,702
Balochistan – 17,745
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 52,449
Islamabad – 34,840
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,791
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 7,719
Deaths – 8,832
Recoveries – 384,719
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 440,787. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 36 to 8,832. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,719 to 384,719, or 87.3 percent of total infections. There are currently 47,236 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the National Command and Operation Center saying 2,456 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Monday, authorities reported 14 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 3,365. The province now has 127,541 confirmed cases; it reported 329 new infections after conducting 11,536 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.85 percent. There were 88 new recoveries recorded, leaving 114,998 fully recovered, and 9,178 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 195,702; it reported 1,343 new infections on Monday after conducting 10,270 tests, a positivity ratio of 13.07 percent. The province reported 9 new deaths, raising toll to 3,158, while its recoveries rose by 851 to 167,343. Overall, the province now has 25,201 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 357 new infections after conducting 4,756 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.51 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 52,449. It recorded 10 new deaths, raising toll to 1,473, while its recoveries have risen by 400 to 46,266. There are currently 4,710 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Monday raised its confirmed cases to 17,745 with 8 new infections after conducting 230 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.48 percent. There were no deaths and 62 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 175 fatalities and 17,059 fully recovered. There are now 511 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 261 to 34,840 after conducting 4,080 tests; a positivity ratio of 6.4 percent. There were 3 deaths and 225 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 371 casualties; 28,245 recovered; and 6,224 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday increased by 8 to 4,791 after conducting 415 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.93 percent. The region reported no deaths and 4 recoveries, leaving 99 fatalities and 4,563 fully recovered people. There are currently 129 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 56 to 7,719 after conducting 543 tests, a positivity ratio of 10.31 percent. There were 89 recoveries and no new deaths in the past 24 hours, leaving 191 fatalities and 6,245 fully recovered. It now has 1,283 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 72,646,646 people, with over 1,618,908 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 50,864,816 patients of the 72.6 million+ infected have recovered thus far.