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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 890,391, against 804,122 recoveries and 19,987 deaths, leaving 66,282 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday reported 4,207 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 51,130 tests—a positivity ratio of 8.23 percent.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Wednesday announced the easing of some restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, allowing schools to reopen in districts where the pandemic’s positivity ratio is less than 5 percent. In a statement, the forum said that inter-provincial transport would also resume from May 22 but would continue to have closed days every Saturday and Sunday. Similarly, tourism has been allowed to resume with SOPs, and outdoor dining has been allowed from May 24.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 890,391 (Tests: 12,603,469)
Punjab – 331,102
Sindh – 303,323
Balochistan – 24,223
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 128,033
Islamabad – 79,789
Gilgit-Baltistan – 5,452
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 18,469
Deaths – 19,987
Recoveries – 804,122
Fully vaccinated people – 1,156,893
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 890,391. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 131 to 19,987. At the same time, recoveries increased by 4,171 to 804,122, or 90.3 percent of total infections. There are currently 66,282 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 4,517 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported 77 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 9,640. The province now has 331,102 confirmed cases; it reported 1,189 new infections after conducting 15,949 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.45 percent. There were 2,420 new recoveries recorded, leaving 293,281 fully recovered, and 28,181 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 303,323; it reported 2,076 new infections on Thursday after administering 20,421 tests, a positivity ratio of 10.2 percent. The province reported 19 deaths, raising toll to 4,854, while its recoveries rose by 611 to 278,280. Overall, the province now has 20,189 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 424 new infections after conducting 8,043 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.27 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 128,033. It recorded 28 new deaths and 575 recoveries, raising toll to 3,855 and recoveries to 117,176. There are currently 7,002 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Thursday raised its confirmed cases to 24,223 with 159 new infections after administering 1,481 tests for a positivity ratio of 10.7 percent. There were no deaths and 127 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 270 fatalities and 22,874 fully recovered. There are now 1,079 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 237 to 79,789 after conducting 3,949 tests, a positivity ratio of 6 percent. There were 5 deaths and 302 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 740 casualties; 70,999 recovered; and 8,050 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 333 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.9 percent; it now has 5,452 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 20 recoveries, leaving 107 fatalities and 5,281 fully recovered people. There are currently 64 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 109 to 18,469 after administering 954 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.42 percent. There were 2 deaths and 116 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 521 fatalities and 16,231 fully recovered. It now has 1,717 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 165,568,854 people, with over 3,431,786 reported deaths. After having passed through two waves of the pandemic, the world is divided between countries that are either in the midst of a third wave driven by mutated variants, or have launched mass vaccination drives that are allowing them to reopen safely. There are mounting calls, including from the World Health Organization, for “vaccine equality,” i.e. for developed nations to stop hoarding vaccines in excess of their requirements and to share them with the developing world to help curb the spread of new mutated variants. Overall, around 144,589,029 patients of the 165.6 million+ infected have recovered thus far.