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Confirmed infections of COVID-19 reach 1,289,913, against 1,251,778 recoveries and 28,843 deaths, leaving 9,292 active cases
Pakistan on Wednesday reported 370 new infections of COVID-19 after conducting 44,609 tests—a positivity ratio of 0.83 percent.
The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Tuesday announced that Pakistanis stranded in Category C countries—from which all travel has been banned in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19—would be allowed to return home till Dec. 31. In a posting on Twitter, the forum said that Pakistanis with either a valid National Identity Card of Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) or Pakistan Origin Card (POC) could travel to Pakistan, adding that they would need to provide proof of vaccination; a negative PCR-RT test secured no earlier than 48 hours prior to travel; and submit to a mandatory quarantine. The Category C list currently comprises Croatia, Hungary, Netherlands, Ukraine, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam, Poland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 1,289,913 (Tests: 22,646,130)
Punjab – 443,985
Sindh – 478,412
Balochistan – 33,539
Khyber–Pakhtunkhwa – 180,760
Islamabad – 108,172
Gilgit-Baltistan – 10,427
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 34,618
Deaths – 28,843
Recoveries – 1,251,778
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Wednesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 1,289,913. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 4 to 28,843. At the same time, recoveries increased by 194 to 1,251,778, or 97 percent of total infections. There are currently 9,292 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC saying 706 of them require critical care.
Punjab
On Wednesday, authorities reported no deaths due to the coronavirus, maintaining total casualties at 13,052. The province now has 443,985 confirmed cases; it reported 48 new infections after administering 16,817 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.28 percent. There were 55 new recoveries recorded, leaving 427,789 fully recovered, and 3,144 active cases of the virus.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 478,412; it reported 239 new infections on Wednesday after conducting 13,819 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.7 percent. The province reported 2 deaths and 52 recoveries, raising toll to 7,640 and total recovered to 465,740. Overall, the province now has 5,032 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Wednesday reported 50 new cases after administering 7,369 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.68 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 180,760. It recorded 2 new deaths and 38 recoveries, raising toll to 5,896 and recoveries to 174,164. There are currently 700 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Balochistan
The province on Wednesday raised its total confirmed cases to 33,539, reporting 3 new infections after conducting 546 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.55 percent. There were no deaths and 2 recoveries reported in the past 24 hours, leaving 363 fatalities and 33,133 fully recovered. There are now 43 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Wednesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 26 to 108,172 after conducting 5,397 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.48 percent. There was no deaths and 44 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 963 casualties; 106,898 recovered; and 311 active cases.
Gilgit-Baltistan reported 1 new case of coronavirus on Wednesday after conducting 316 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.32 percent; it currently has 10,427 confirmed cases. There were no deaths and 1 recovery reported in the past 24 hours, leaving 186 fatalities; 10,225 fully recovered people; and 16 active cases of COVID-19.
Pakistan-administered Kashmir reported 3 new cases of COVID-19 after administering 345 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.87 percent. There were no deaths and 2 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 743 fatalities and 33,829 fully recovered. It now has 46 active cases of COVID-19.
Across the world
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 271,737,744 people, with over 5,337,116 reported deaths. After having passed through multiple waves of the pandemic, the world is divided between countries that are struggling to counter mutated variants, or have introduced vaccination boosters to maintain normalcy. There are mounting calls, especially from the World Health Organization, for “vaccine equality,” i.e. for developed nations to stop hoarding vaccines in excess of their requirements and to share them with the developing world to help prevent the mutation of new variants. Overall, around 244,313,611 patients of the 271.7 million+ infected have recovered thus far.