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Confirmed infections hit 299,659 against 286,506 recoveries and 6,359 deaths, leaving 6,794 active cases
Pakistan on Wednesday reported 426 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 22,830 tests—a positivity ratio of 1.87 percent.
Malaysia this week banned any entry from 23 countries, including Pakistan, that have reported cumulative cases of COVID-19 exceeding 150,000. In a post on its official Facebook page, the Malaysian immigration department said that this restriction also applied to Malaysia permanent residency holders and the spouses and children of citizens and foreign students now wishing to return to Malaysia.
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 – 299,659 (Tests: 2,825,040)
Punjab – 97,389
Sindh – 130,969
Balochistan – 13,402
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 36,711
Islamabad – 15,780
Gilgit-Baltistan – 3,068
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,340
Deaths – 6,359
Recoveries – 286,506
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Wednesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 299,659, while deaths increased by 9 to 6,359. At the same time, recoveries increased by 349 to 286,506, or 95.6 percent of total infections. There are currently 6,794 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 544 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Wednesday, authorities reported 2 new deaths due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,213. The province conducted 9,075 tests, raising confirmed cases to 97,389 with 83 new infections. Meanwhile, its recoveries have increased by 12 to 93,601. There are now 1,575 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Wednesday rose by 162 to 130,969 against 8,641 tests. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 5 to 2,430, while its recoveries rose by 167 to 126,435. Overall, the province now has 2,104 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Wednesday reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 1,256. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 46 to 34,474, while its confirmed cases have increased by 48 to 36,711. The province conducted 2,246 tests on Tuesday and currently has 981 active cases of coronavirus.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Wednesday rose by 81 to 13,402 after conducting 509 tests. There were no new deaths and 46 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining fatalities at 145 and raising recoveries to 11,907. There are now 1,350 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Wednesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 18 to 15,780 after conducting 1,894 tests. There were no new deaths and 29 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining casualties at 177 and raising recoveries to 15,213, leaving 390 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 27 on Wednesday to 3,068 after conducting 251 tests. The region reported 2 new deaths, raising toll to 73, while its recoveries increased by 37 to 2,686, leaving 309 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 7 to 2,340 after conducting 214 tests. There were no new deaths and 12 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 65 fatalities and 2,190 fully recovered. It now has 85 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 27,738,707 people, with over 901,866 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 19,831,991 patients of the 27.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.