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Confirmed cases rise to 389,311 against 335,881 recoveries and 7,897 deaths, leaving 45,533 active cases
Pakistan on Friday recorded 3,113 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 43,214 tests—a positivity ratio of 7.20 percent.
Special Assistant to the P.M. on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan on Thursday dismissed concerns that the coronavirus strain in Pakistan had mutated, becoming more virulent and deadly. He told state-run Associated Press of Pakistan that this was a misconception, adding that all viruses mutate slightly over time and this was within expectations.
Despite being in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus, Pakistan has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 74,407, and currently tests 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 – 389,311 (Tests: 5,386,916)
Punjab – 117,160
Sindh – 168,783
Balochistan – 17,008
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 46,281
Islamabad – 28,980
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,598
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 6,501
Deaths – 7,897
Recoveries – 335,881
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Friday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 389,311. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 54 to 7,897. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,489 to 335,881, or 86.3 percent of total infections. There are currently 45,533 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 2,112 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Friday, authorities reported 22 new deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 2,945. The province now has 117,160 confirmed cases; it reported 654 new infections after conducting 18,198 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.59 percent. There were 46 new recoveries recorded, leaving 98,191 fully recovered, and 16,024 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 168,783; it reported 1,402 new infections on Friday after conducting 10,585 tests, a positivity ratio of 13.24 percent. The province reported 19 new deaths, raising toll to 2,885, while its recoveries rose by 749 to 148,313. Overall, the province now has 17,585 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 453 new infections after conducting 4,899 tests, a positivity ratio of 9.25 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 46,281. It recorded 2 new deaths, raising toll to 1,346, while its recoveries have risen by 222 to 41,200. There are currently 3,735 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Friday raised its confirmed cases to 17,008 with 66 new infections after conducting 1,030 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.41 percent. There were no deaths and 61 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 165 fatalities and 16,214 fully recovered. There are now 629 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Friday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 425 to 28,980 after conducting 7,282 tests; a positivity ratio of 5.84 percent. There were 8 deaths and 307 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 305 casualties; 22,758 recovered; and 5,917 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday increased by 15 to 4,598 after conducting 312 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.81 percent. The region reported no new deaths or recoveries, leaving 96 fatalities and 4,319 fully recovered people. There are currently 183 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 98 to 6,501 after conducting 908 tests, a positivity ratio of 10.79 percent. There were 104 recoveries and 3 deaths in the past 24 hours, leaving 155 fatalities and 4,886 fully recovered. It now has 1,460 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 61,308,161 people, with over 1,437,835 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 the spread of the virus ahead of the upcoming winter holidays. Overall, around 42,396,171 patients of the 61.3 million+ infected have recovered thus far.