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Confirmed infections rise to 386,198 against 334,392 recoveries and 7,843 deaths, leaving 43,963 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday recorded 3,306 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 45,999 tests—a positivity ratio of 7.19 percent.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday once again urged the public to wear face masks and avoid public gatherings, as he vowed that the country would not return to another lockdown, as its economy cannot sustain it. He said businesses and industry should not be shuttered no matter what, adding that “smart” lockdowns might be considered if the situation worsens.
Despite being in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus, the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 74,407, and currently tests significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which studies suggest comprise the majority of infections nationwide.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 386,198 (Tests: 5,343,702)
Punjab – 116,506
Sindh – 167,381
Balochistan – 16,942
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 45,828
Islamabad – 28,555
Gilgit-Baltistan – 4,583
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 6,403
Deaths – 7,843
Recoveries – 334,392
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 386,198. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 40 to 7,843. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,418 to 334,392, or 86.6 percent of total infections. There are currently 43,963 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 1,968 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported 19 new deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 2,923. The province now has 116,506 confirmed cases; it reported 720 new infections after conducting 18,766 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.84 percent. There were 64 new recoveries recorded, leaving 98,145 fully recovered, and 15,438 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 167,381; it reported 1,348 new infections on Thursday after conducting 12,159 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.09 percent. The province reported 8 new deaths, raising toll to 2,866, while its recoveries rose by 607 to 147,564. Overall, the province now has 16,951 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 514 new infections after conducting 5,534 tests, a positivity ratio of 9.29 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 45,828. It recorded 5 new deaths, raising toll to 1,344, while its recoveries have risen by 271 to 40,978. There are currently 3,506 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Thursday raised its confirmed cases to 16,942 with 51 new infections after conducting 709 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.19 percent. There was 1 new death and 60 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 165 fatalities and 16,153 fully recovered. There are now 624 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 576 to 28,555 after conducting 8,016 tests; a positivity ratio of 7.19 percent. There were 6 deaths and 313 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 297 casualties; 22,451 recovered; and 5,807 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday increased by 10 to 4,583 after conducting 320 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.12 percent. The region reported no new deaths and 2 recoveries, leaving 96 fatalities and 4,319 fully recovered people. There are currently 168 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 87 to 6,403 after conducting 495 tests, a positivity ratio of 17.58 percent. There were 101 recoveries and 1 death in the past 24 hours, leaving 152 fatalities and 4,782 fully recovered. It now has 1,469 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 60,720,501 people, with over 1,426,834 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 the spread of the virus ahead of the upcoming winter holidays. Overall, around 42,031,578 patients of the 60.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.