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Confirmed infections reach 565,989, against 528,545 recoveries and 12,436 deaths, leaving 25,008 active cases
Pakistan on Wednesday reported 1,165 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 33,196 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.51 percent.
The World Health Organization has listed two versions of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, ensuring these immunizations can be rolled out globally through the COVAX facility. Produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India, the vaccines would likely be included in the 17 million doses COVAX has committed to providing Pakistan in the next few weeks..
Despite passing through two waves of COVID-19, Pakistan has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 59,981, 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 – 565,989 (Tests: 8,531,218)
Punjab – 165,200
Sindh – 254,286
Balochistan – 18,954
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 70,123
Islamabad – 42,921
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,943
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 9,562
Deaths – 12,436
Recoveries – 528,545
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Wednesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 565,989. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 56 to 12,436. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,484 to 528,545, or 93.4 percent of total infections. There are currently 25,008 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 1,662 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Wednesday, authorities reported 30 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 5,114. The province now has 165,200 confirmed cases; it reported 504 new infections after conducting 10,775 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.67 percent. There were 544 new recoveries recorded, leaving 152,869 fully recovered, and 7,217 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 254,286; it reported 270 new infections on Wednesday after conducting 9,504 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.84 percent. The province reported 18 new deaths, raising toll to 4,244, while its recoveries rose by 645 to 236,499. Overall, the province now has 13,543 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 238 new infections after conducting 6,595 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.61 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 70,123. It recorded 7 new deaths, raising toll to 2,007, while its recoveries have risen by 190 to 65,984. There are currently 2,132 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Wednesday raised its confirmed cases to 18,954 with 8 new infections after conducting 597 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.34 percent. There were no deaths and 9 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 199 fatalities and 18,667 fully recovered. There are now 88 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Wednesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 113 to 42,921 after conducting 4,995 tests; a positivity ratio of 2.26 percent. There were no deaths and 59 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 486 casualties; 40,923 recovered; and 1,512 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported 2 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday after conducting 377 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.53 percent; it now has 4,943 confirmed cases. The region reported no deaths and 4 recoveries, leaving 102 fatalities and 4,812 fully recovered people. There are currently 29 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 30 to 9,562 after conducting 353 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.5 percent. There was 1 death and 33 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 284 fatalities and 8,791 fully recovered. It now has 487 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 110,035,633 people, with over 2,429,811 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 84,851,754 patients of the 110 million+ infected have recovered thus far.