File photo
Confirmed infections hit 297,014 against 281,925 recoveries and 6,328 deaths, leaving 8,761 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday reported 424 infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 21,744 tests—a positivity ratio of 1.95 percent.
A meeting of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Wednesday was briefed on the government’s plans to allow educational institutions to reopen from Sept. 15. Planning Minister Asad Umar said the major challenge facing the government was enforcing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and health guidelines around 300,000 educational institutions nationwide.
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 68,190—reduced from a peak of 71,780—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. 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 – 297,014 (Tests: 2,684,252)
Punjab – 96,983
Sindh – 129,827
Balochistan – 12,935
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 36,340
Islamabad – 15,689
Gilgit-Baltistan – 2,935
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,305
Deaths – 6,328
Recoveries – 281,925
In the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 297,014, while deaths increased by 10 to 6,328. At the same time, recoveries increased by 466 to 281,925, or 94.9 percent of total infections. There are currently 8,761 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 585 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported 1 new death due to COVID-19, raising fatalities to 2,205. The province reported 62 new infections, raising confirmed cases to 96,983, while its recoveries have increased by 13 to 92,525. There are now 2,253 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Thursday rose by 212 to 129,827. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 6 to 2,415, while its recoveries rose by 221 to 123,605. Overall, the province now has 3,807 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Thursday reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 1,255. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 144 to 34,171, while its confirmed cases have increased by 75 to 36,340. There are currently 914 active cases of coronavirus in the province.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Thursday rose by 36 to 12,935. There were 2 new deaths recorded, raising fatalities to 143, while 38 more patients have now fully recovered, raising to 11,861 the number of people who have beaten the virus. There are now 931 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 23 to 15,689. There were no new deaths and 21 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining casualties at 175 and raising recoveries to 15,056, leaving 458 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 13 on Thursday to 2,935. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 71, while its recoveries have increased by 22 to 2,557, leaving 307 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 3 to 2,305. There was 1 new death and 7 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 64 fatalities and 2,150 fully recovered. It now has 91 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 26,182,043 people, with over 867,347 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 to help shuttered economies recover. Overall, around 18,445,406 patients of the 26.1 million+ infected have recovered thus far.