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Confirmed infections rise to 306,886 against 293,159 recoveries and 6,424 deaths, leaving 7,303 active cases
Pakistan on Tuesday recorded 582 infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 36,155 tests—a positivity ratio of 1.6 percent.
The chairman of the P.M.’s taskforce on science and technology has confirmed that Pakistan will commence clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine at Karachi’s Indus Hospital from this week. Dr. Attaur Rahman told state-run APP that the process was expected to take around six months and if all went well, the vaccine should be ready for distribution to the general public around April or June next year.
Pakistan’s welcome decline in daily infections and deaths, meanwhile, has encountered some trepidation from observers who warn that the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed testing capacity of 77,320 and is currently testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan’s testing policies likely only record the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers, which recent studies have suggested comprise the majority of infections in the country. Medical experts have also warned that the government’s decision to end nearly all movement restrictions at once risks a second wave of the virus.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 306,886 (Tests: 3,230,472)
Punjab – 98,487
Sindh – 134,243
Balochistan – 14,499
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 37,387
Islamabad – 16,207
Gilgit-Baltistan – 3,513
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,550
Deaths – 6,424
Recoveries – 293,159
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Tuesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 306,886. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 4 to 6,424. At the same time, recoveries increased by 290 to 293,159, or 95.5 percent of total infections. There are currently 7,303 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 570 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Tuesday, authorities reported 1 new death due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,227. The province conducted 12,534 tests, raising confirmed cases to 98,487 with 59 new infections. Meanwhile, its recoveries have increased by 19 to 94,971. There are now 1,289 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Tuesday rose by 296 to 134,243 against 15,211 tests. The province reported 3 deaths, raising toll to 2,463, while its recoveries rose by 87 to 128,494. Overall, the province now has 3,286 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Tuesday reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 1,258. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 52 to 35,613 while its confirmed cases have increased by 30 to 37,387. The province conducted 3,345 tests on Monday and currently has 516 active cases of coronavirus.
Balochistan
The province conducted 1,171 tests on Monday, raising confirmed cases to 14,499 with 105 new infections. There were no new deaths and 79 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining fatalities at 145 and raising recoveries to 13,150. There are now 1,204 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Tuesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 45 to 16,207 after conducting 3,280 tests. There were no new deaths and 40 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining casualties at 180 and raising recoveries to 15,597, leaving 430 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday increased by 30 to 3,513 after conducting 304 tests. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 82, while its recoveries increased by 4 to 3,060, leaving 371 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 17 to 2,550 after conducting 310 tests. There were no deaths and 9 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 69 fatalities and 2,274 fully recovered. It now has 207 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 31,485,162 people, with over 969,298 reported deaths. Governments across the word halted flights, locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home at the peak of the virus’s spread, but have since eased restrictions to help shuttered economies rebound. Overall, around 23,113,233 patients of the 31.4 million+ infected have recovered thus far, with health experts warning of an impending second wave as winter approaches.