Pakistan has reported its single-highest day coronavirus cases since July after 847 people tested positive for the novel virus.
Some 31,009 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted to 4,235,329. The country has confirmed 327,459 coronavirus cases. Out of these, 10,235 are active cases, while 586 are critical cases.
The country also reported 12 more deaths from Covid-19, taking the nationwide death toll to 6,727. In the last 24 hours, 455 people also recovered from the virus.
So far, Sindh has reported 143,222 cases and 2,594 deaths; Punjab 102,467 cases and 2,334 deaths; Balochistan 15,791 cases and 148, and KP 38,923 infections and 1,268 death.
Similarly, 18,764 cases and 207 deaths have been reported from Islamabad; 4,148 cases, and 90 deaths from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB); and 3,748 cases, and 86 deaths in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has taken notice of the alarming spike in the cases during the last couple of days and noted that Muzaffarabad, Hyderabad, Karachi and GB have a higher positivity ratio along with other areas across the country.
It also declared markets, marriage halls, the transport sector, restaurants and public gatherings as high-risk areas.
But the World Health Organization (WHO) has appreciated the response of federal and provincial governments of Pakistan for effectively containing the pandemic.
The WHO mission from EMRO region was presenting their findings at a debriefing session in Islamabad, chaired by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan.
The WHO mission, comprising a team of WHO experts, is on 10-day visit to Pakistan to review lessons learnt from Pakistan’s Covid-19 response and to work with national and provincial health experts.
The main area of review was surveillance, point of entry, risk communication and community engagement, and continuity in essential health services.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi yesterday urged people to adopt precautionary measures to avert the resurgence of the pandemic.
Talking to Governor Balochistan Amanullah Khan Yasinzai in Quetta, he said the coronavirus situation is not alarming in Pakistan but in many countries it is once again becoming a concern.
Balochistan Governor informed the president that the teaching process has been initiated in universities under SOPs across the province.
Chief Secretary Balochistan apprised the meeting that the coronavirus rate is 1.5 per cent in the province and positive tests have been reported in 500 students.
The president expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by government for prevention of coronavirus in Balochistan.
