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Confirmed infections reach 581,365, against 546,371 recoveries and 12,896 deaths, leaving 22,098 active cases
Pakistan on Monday reported 1,392 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 38,338 tests—a positivity ratio of 3.63 percent.
The Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday extended till March 14 travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. In a notification, the institution reiterated that 24 category A countries, including Australia, Saudi Arabia and China, would not require any COVID-19 testing prior to entry into Pakistan. It said 15 category C countries, including the U.K., South Africa and Ireland, would continue to have travel restricted, adding it would only be allowed per NCOC guidelines. Any country that is neither in category A or C has been designated category B and would require a negative PCR test no earlier than 72 hours before travel.
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 – 581,365 (Tests: 8,990,176)
Punjab – 172,054
Sindh – 258,266
Balochistan – 19,049
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 72,424
Islamabad – 44,373
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,956
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 10,243
Deaths – 12,896
Recoveries – 546,371
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Monday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 581,365. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 36 to 12,896. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,094 to 546,371, or 94 percent of total infections. There are currently 22,098 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 1,568 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Monday, authorities reported 13 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 5,363. The province now has 172,054 confirmed cases; it reported 705 new infections after conducting 16,777 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.2 percent. There were 472 new recoveries recorded, leaving 161,469 fully recovered, and 5,222 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 258,266; it reported 262 new infections on Monday after conducting 10,057 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.6 percent. The province reported 7 new deaths, raising toll to 4,350, while its recoveries rose by 384 to 241,864. Overall, the province now has 12,052 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government recorded 262 new infections after conducting 6,344 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.13 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 72,424. It recorded 7 new deaths, raising toll to 2,079, while its recoveries have risen by 104 to 68,128. There are currently 2,217 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Monday raised its confirmed cases to 19,049 with 4 new infections after conducting 383 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.04 percent. There was no deaths and 9 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 200 fatalities and 18,754 fully recovered. There are now 95 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 114 to 44,373 after conducting 3,907 tests; a positivity ratio of 2.92 percent. There were 5 deaths and 90 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 501 casualties; 42,085 recovered; and 1,787 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported no new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday after conducting 330 tests; it now has 4,956 confirmed cases. The region reported no deaths and 2 recoveries, leaving 102 fatalities and 4,843 fully recovered people. There are currently 11 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 45 to 10,243 after conducting 540 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.33 percent. There was 4 deaths and 33 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 301 fatalities and 9,228 fully recovered. It now has 714 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 114,689,362 people, with over 2,543,312 reported deaths. After a devastating first wave, the world is now slowly recovering from a second wave of the coronavirus, aided in part by the launch of vaccination campaigns. Overall, around 90,244,364 patients of the 114.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.