The national tally of total active Covid-19 cases on Tuesday was recorded at 34,535, as 3,270 more people tested positive for the deadly virus and 1,733 people recovered from the disease across country.
Seventy-two coronavirus patients died, 64 of whom were under treatment in hospitals and eight perished in their respective homes or quarantines, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). Most of the deaths occurred in the Punjab, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Out of the total 72 deaths, 27 died on ventilators during their treatment.
The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 52 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 57 percent, Peshawar 32 percent and Lahore 52 percent. The maximum oxygen beds were occupied in four major areas of Gujrat 86 percent, Peshawar 62 percent, ICT 51 percent and Rawalpindi 37 percent. Around 334 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no Covid-affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.
Some 39,742 tests were conducted across country on Monday, including 6,622 in Sindh, 20,279 in Punjab, 6,278 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 5,384 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 249 in Balochistan, 246 in GB, and 684 in AJK. Around 585,271 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan, making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients.
Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 633,741 cases have been detected, including the perished, recovered and under treatment Covid-19 patients.
About 13,935 deaths have been recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion. A total of 9,857,233 tests have been conducted so far, while 631 hospitals are equipped with Covid facilities. Some 3,019 patients are currently admitted to hospitals across country.
The federal capital recorded 559 fresh Covid cases on Tuesday, taking the daily infection rate to 10.95%. On the other hand, after three new deaths were reported in the capital territory.
It may be noted that coronavirus is rapidly spreading in Islamabad as six frontline health workers have also tested positive earlier in the day. Six health workers of the Islamabad District Health Office, whose names were not disclosed, have been infected with the coronavirus. According to the DHO Islamabad, the infected staff is currently in self-isolation.
On Saturday, the number of Covid cases in the federal capital had recorded an incremental surge with the health department citing an alarming 8.79% weekly rate of viral spread. Just a few months back, in early January the weekly viral spread rate was about 1.57%, said the District Health Officer of Islamabad. However, this changed in the coming week with an upward trend to stand at 2.47%.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had also tested Covid-19 positive. Dr Faisal Sultan in his tweet had confirmed that the premier had tested positive for Covid-19 and was self-isolating at home.