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Confirmed cases climb to 275,225 against 242,436 recoveries and 5,865 deaths, leaving 26,924 active cases
Pakistan on Tuesday recorded 936 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 19,610 tests—a positivity ratio of 4.8 percent.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday warned the public that if they ignored social distancing guidelines and standard operating procedures over Eidul Azha and Muharram, there was a great risk of a renewed surge in the country’s coronavirus infections. “We are not yet out of danger,” he stressed, as he urged people to celebrate the upcoming Eid with ‘simplicity.’
Despite the optimism resulting from Pakistan’s positivity rate declining from over 20 percent to less than 10 percent in the past month, health experts have warned that the country has yet to fully utilize its claimed capacity of 71,780—and is testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. According to the World Health Organization, the country is likely only recording the most symptomatic patients while ignoring the spread among asymptomatic carriers.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 275,225 (Tests: 1,909,846)
Punjab – 92,279 (Tests: 706,722)
Sindh – 118,824 (Tests: 718,401)
Balochistan – 11,624 (Tests: 58,078)
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 33,510 (Tests: 202,620)
Islamabad – 14,938 (Tests: 180,835)
Gilgit-Baltistan – 2,010 (Tests: 17,318)
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,040 (Tests: 25,061)
Deaths – 5,865
Recoveries – 242,436
In the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m., Tuesday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 275,225, while deaths increased by 23 to 5,865. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,410 to 242,436, or 88.1 percent of total infections. There are currently 26,924 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) reporting 1,217 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
The provincial government on Monday announced it was shutting down all shopping malls and markets under its jurisdiction from midnight last night to Aug. 5. According to a notification issued by the health department, the decision was taken to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus during the upcoming Eidul Azha.
On Tuesday, authorities reported 9 new deaths due to COVID-19, raising total fatalities to 2,125. The province also reported 206 new infections, raising confirmed cases to 92,279, against 81,265 recoveries. There are now 8,889 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
The Sindh Assembly on Monday passed an amendment to the Sindh COVID-19 Emergency Relief Bill 2020, making it mandatory for citizens to wear masks in public places. The amendment also states that any employed person would be permitted paid leave for the duration of their isolation if they test positive for COVID-19.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Tuesday morning rose by 513 to 118,824. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 11 to 2,162, while its recoveries rose by 1,077 to 108,480. Overall, the province now has 8,182 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The NCOC on Monday, following a special session in Peshawar, acknowledged the efforts of the provincial government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Planning Minister Asad Umar cautioned that care should be taken to prevent any tourism from other provinces during the upcoming Eidul Azha. He said a final decision on reopening the tourism sector would be taken after Eid.
The provincial government on Tuesday reported 2 new deaths, raising its death toll to 1,180. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 77 to 27,196, while its confirmed cases have increased by 113 to 33,510. There are currently 5,134 active cases of coronavirus in the province.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Tuesday rose by 23 to 11,624. Overall, 136 people have died and 10,023 patients have fully recovered from the virus, leaving 1,465 active cases of COVID-19.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Tuesday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 54 to 14,938. There was 1 new death and 124 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, raising death toll to 165 and recoveries to 12,377, leaving 2,396 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 21 on Tuesday to 2,010. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 48, while its recoveries have increased by 47 to 1,613, leaving 349 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 6 to 2,040. There were no new deaths and 33 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 49 fatalities and 1,482 fully recovered. It has 509 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 16,652,435 people, with over 656,678 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 there are now signs of easements in nations that have reined it in to help shuttered economies recover. Overall, around 10,242,655 patients of the 16.6 million+ infected have recovered thus far.