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Confirmed infections climb to 429,280 against 374,301 recoveries and 8,603 deaths, leaving 46,376 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday reported 3,138 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 40,202 tests—a positivity ratio of 7.8 percent.
Planning Minister Asad Umar on Wednesday warned that the government “would have no choice” but to shutter additional sectors of the economy within a week or two if the coronavirus situation continues to deteriorate. He told a press conference that the biggest difference between the first and second waves was that messaging on the threat posed by the pandemic was not being properly conveyed. He urged the public to adopt all preventative measures to curb the virus’ spread and protect lives and livelihoods.
Pakistan is now in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus, but has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 75,307, with daily testing still 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 – 429,280 (Tests: 5,906,146)
Punjab – 125,250
Sindh – 189,687
Balochistan – 17,604
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 50,762
Islamabad – 33,695
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,765
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 7,517
Deaths – 8,603
Recoveries – 374,301
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 429,280. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 56 to 8,603. At the same time, recoveries increased by 2,030 to 374,301, or 87.2 percent of total infections. There are currently 46,376 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the National Command and Operation Center saying 2,575 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported 23 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 3,265. The province now has 125,250 confirmed cases; it reported 446 new infections after conducting 15,405 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.89 percent. There were 120 new recoveries recorded, leaving 111,840 fully recovered, and 10,145 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 189,687; it reported 2,003 new infections on Thursday after conducting 12,582 tests, a positivity ratio of 15.92 percent. The province reported 18 new deaths, raising toll to 3,099, while its recoveries rose by 1,451 to 163,492. Overall, the province now has 23,096 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 256 new infections after conducting 4,690 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.46 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 50,762. It recorded 10 new deaths, raising toll to 1,439, while its recoveries have risen by 107 to 44,633. There are currently 4,690 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Thursday raised its confirmed cases to 17,604 with 64 new infections after conducting 527 tests, a positivity ratio of 12.14 percent. There was 1 death and 53 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 171 fatalities and 16,910 fully recovered. There are now 523 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 275 to 33,695 after conducting 5,888 tests; a positivity ratio of 4.67 percent. There were 3 deaths and 208 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 348 casualties; 27,003 recovered; and 6,344 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday increased by 4 to 4,765 after conducting 412 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.97 percent. The region reported no deaths and 8 recoveries, leaving 98 fatalities and 4,511 fully recovered people. There are currently 156 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 90 to 7,517 after conducting 698 tests, a positivity ratio of 12.89 percent. There were 83 recoveries and 1 death in the past 24 hours, leaving 183 fatalities and 5,912 fully recovered. It now has 1,422 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 69,239,671 people, with over 1,575,810 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 the upcoming winter holidays. Overall, around 47,994,611 patients of the 69.2 million+ infected have recovered thus far.