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Confirmed infections hit 299,855 against 287,950 recoveries and 6,365 deaths, leaving 5,540 active cases
Pakistan on Thursday reported 441 new infections of the novel coronavirus after conducting 25,081 tests—a positivity ratio of 1.76 percent.
A study conducted by Karachi’s Aga Khan University has found that more than nine out of 10 people who contracted the novel coronavirus showed no symptoms, raising further questions over the asymptomatic spread of the disease. Public health experts tested 2,000 people from across the metropolis and found that 95 percent of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 reported no symptoms of the illness such as a cough, fever or sore throat.
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 – 299,855 (Tests: 2,850,121)
Punjab – 97,461
Sindh – 131,115
Balochistan – 13,227
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 36,755
Islamabad – 15,804
Gilgit-Baltistan – 3,137
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 2,356
Deaths – 6,365
Recoveries – 287,950
In the 24 hours preceding 8 a.m., Thursday, Pakistan’s confirmed cases climbed to 299,855—a net addition of 196 after authorities, without explanation, changed the total cases reported a day earlier to 181 from 426. Meanwhile, deaths increased by 6 to 6,365. At the same time, recoveries increased by 1,444 to 287,950, or 96 percent of total infections. There are currently 5,540 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, with the NCOC reporting 550 of them are in critical condition.
Punjab
On Thursday, authorities reported no new deaths due to COVID-19, sustaining fatalities at 2,213. The province conducted 9,781 tests, raising confirmed cases to 97,461 with 72 new infections. Meanwhile, its recoveries have increased by 643 to 94,244. There are now 1,004 active cases of the virus in the province.
Sindh
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh on Thursday rose by 146 to 131,115 against 9,292 tests. Additionally, the province’s death toll climbed by 6 to 2,436, while its recoveries rose by 168 to 126,603. Overall, the province now has 2,076 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The provincial government on Thursday reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 1,256. In the past 24 hours, its recoveries rose by 229 to 34,703, while its confirmed cases have increased by 44 to 36,755. The province conducted 2,522 tests on Wednesday and currently has 796 active cases of coronavirus.
Balochistan
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province on Thursday rose by 120 to 13,321 after conducting 434 tests. Curiously, this tally does not match the data from 24 hours prior, when the province’s confirmed cases had risen to 13,402. The provincial authorities have not offered any explanation for this discrepancy of 81 infections.
There were no new deaths and 292 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining fatalities at 145 and raising recoveries to 12,199. There are now 977 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 24 to 15,804 after conducting 2,476 tests. There were no new deaths and 31 recoveries in the past 24 hours, sustaining casualties at 177 and raising recoveries to 15,244, leaving 383 active cases.
Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan rose by 69 on Thursday to 3,137 after conducting 308 tests. The region reported no new deaths, sustaining toll at 73, while its recoveries increased by 71 to 2,757, leaving 307 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, confirmed cases have increased by 16 to 2,356 after conducting 268 tests. There were no new deaths and 10 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 65 fatalities and 2,200 fully recovered. It now has 91 active cases of COVID-19.
Global situation
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 28,025,181 people, with over 908,000 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 20,103,385 patients of the 28 million+ infected have recovered thus far.