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Confirmed infections reach 556,519, against 512,943 recoveries and 12,066 deaths, leaving 31,510 active cases
Pakistan on Tuesday recorded 1,008 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 31,509 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.19 percent.
CanSino Biologics’ COVID-19 vaccine showed 74.8 percent efficacy in preventing symptomatic cases and a 100 percent success rate in stopping severe instances of the novel coronavirus among Pakistanis, according to Special Assistant to the P.M. on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan. In a posting on Twitter, he said that interim analysis of global trials had found 65.7 percent efficacy in preventing symptomatic cases, and 90.98 percent success in preventing severe disease. Authorities have already announced that Islamabad is entitled to 20 million doses of CanSino’s vaccine due to its participation in Phase III clinical trials.
Despite passing through two waves of COVID-19, Pakistan has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 59,731, with daily testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan’s testing policies only record the most symptomatic patients—a belief substantiated by a Punjab government official as the “most efficient use of resources”—while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which studies suggest comprise the majority of infections nationwide.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 556,519 (Tests: 8,256,378)
Punjab – 161,347
Sindh – 251,434
Balochistan – 18,877
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 68,625
Islamabad – 42,080
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,918
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 9,238
Deaths – 12,066
Recoveries – 512,943
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Tuesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 556,519. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 40 to 12,066. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,441 to 512,943, or 92.2 percent of total infections. There are currently 31,510 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 1,797 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Tuesday, authorities reported 19 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 4,919. The province now has 161,347 confirmed cases; it reported 412 new infections after conducting 10,858 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.79 percent. There were 811 new recoveries recorded, leaving 148,496 fully recovered, and 7,932 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 251,434; it reported 387 new infections on Tuesday after conducting 10,205 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.79 percent. The province reported 13 new deaths, raising toll to 4,132, while its recoveries rose by 390 to 227,948. Overall, the province now has 19,354 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 94 new infections after conducting 5,703 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.65 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 68,625. It recorded 7 new deaths, raising toll to 1,964, while its recoveries have risen by 94 to 64,206. There are currently 2,455 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Tuesday raised its confirmed cases to 18,877 with 8 new infections after conducting 513 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.56 percent. There were no deaths and 12 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 196 fatalities and 18,593 fully recovered. There are now 88 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Tuesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 86 to 42,080 after conducting 3,557 tests; a positivity ratio of 2.42 percent. There were no deaths and 111 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 480 casualties; 40,352 recovered; and 1,248 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported 2 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday after conducting 341 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.59 percent; it now has 4,918 confirmed cases. The region reported no deaths or recoveries, leaving 102 fatalities and 4,795 fully recovered people. There are currently 21 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 19 to 9,238 after conducting 332 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.72 percent. There was 1 death and 23 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 273 fatalities and 8,553 fully recovered. It now has 412 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 107,007,730 people, with over 2,336,337 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 78,851,588 patients of the 107 million+ infected have recovered thus far.