Coronavirus crisis hits another grim landmark with 4 million cases globallyThe coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc across the country as 67 more people died of Covid-19 during the last twenty-four hours, the highest single day death toll in nearly five months.
According to the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), the virus claimed 67 lives in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 8,091. However, the country’s fatality rate stands at 2.0% against the global mortality rate of 2.3 percent.
The country also reported 2,458 new infections, raising the total tally to 400,484. Out of 49,105 active coronavirus cases in the country, 2,165 are critically ill and 282 are on life-support systems, whereas at least 343,286 have recovered from the virus.
Keeping in view the mushrooming cases over six weeks, the health experts and authorities have raised serious concerns that the second wave may hit harder than the first if SOPs are not followed.
The historical case positivity rate stands at 7.2 percent while Monday’s rate was 6 percent. Azad Jammu and Kashmir have the highest positivity rate at 14.5 percent, Sindh is second with 10.1 percent, and Balochistan third with 9.4 percent. Islamabad reported 4.3 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3.8 percent, Punjab 3.5 percent, and Gilgit Baltistan 2.6 percent.
The coronavirus monitoring body has also issued the city-wise breakdown which reveals that the highest case positivity rate was observed in Mirpur with 20.62 percent, followed by Peshawar at 19.58 percent and Hyderabad at 19.03 percent. Karachi recorded 13.9 percent, Abbottabad 11.21 percent, Multan 10.66 percent, and Rawalpindi 9.27 percent.
Since the pandemic reached Pakistan earlier this year, a total of 5,549,779 PCR tests have been conducted across the country out of which 40,969 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours only.
In Punjab, the coronavirus claimed 45 more lives during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial death toll from the disease to 3,036.
According to a spokesperson for the Primary and Secondary Health Department, 543 fresh infections emerged during this period, pushing the total number of cases thus far reported across the province to 119,578.
A total of 19,956,67 tests have been conducted in the province since the infection emerged in the country nine months ago. The number of people recovering from the infection stands at 98,601.
Meanwhile, Balochistan has recorded 29 new coronavirus infections and one death by the disease in the last 24 hours. According to a report released by the Balochistan Health Department, at least 29 more persons were tested positive for coronavirus in Balochistan, bringing the total number of infected patients to 17,187 in the province. As many as 16,404 Covid-19 patients have so far recovered from the coronavirus while total 167 deaths were recorded with one more death due to the deadly virus in Balochistan.
The province has 95 percent recovery rate of novel coronavirus patients, while four percent active cases, health department spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, a smart lockdown was imposed by the district administration in five areas of Peshawar on Tuesday. Coronavirus cases are fast increasing in the city. Deputy Commissioner Ali Asghar said the move aims to prevent the spread of the virus.
Sectors E-VI and N-IV of Hayatabad, University Town, Park Road and Old Jamrud Road, Hayatabad Industrial Estate, and Peshawar Cantt area will be under the smart lockdown. No gatherings are allowed in these areas and congregations in mosques have been restricted to five people. All shops except pharmacies, food supplies, tandoors and general stores will remain closed.
