The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic has soared as Pakistan registered another nearly 6,000 infections during the last 24 hours (Wednesday). 

According to the statistics released by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday morning, Pakistan recorded 42 new deaths and 5,830 cases from Covid-19.

As per the latest NCOC data, after the addition of 42 new deaths, the overall toll has now surged to 29,372 whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,442,263 after adding the fresh 5,830 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Wednesday), 59,786 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio dropped to 9.75 percent. The number of patients in critical care was 1,590.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1489042640117112833

During the last 24 hours (Wednesday), as many as 7,839 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 1,312,819. As of Thursday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 100,072.

As many as 546,141 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 483,779 in Punjab, 197,937 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 129,758 in Islamabad, 34,557 in Balochistan, 39,323 in Azad Kashmir and 10,768 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, 13,201 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 7,849 in Sindh, 6,023 in KP, 982 in Islamabad, 760 in Azad Kashmir, 368 in Balochistan and 189 in Gilgit Baltistan.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the global developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- France eases restrictions -

France loosens some of the restrictions imposed to curb the latest Covid-19 surge, including the need to wear face masks outdoors, as daily cases decline.

- Finland to end curbs - 

Crowd limits at cultural and sports events will be lifted in Finland from February 14, the prime minister says, with most remaining coronavirus controls to end on March 1.

- Switzerland sees endemic phase -

Switzerland says that the pandemic phase of Covid-19 could soon be over as it ditches some restrictions and mulls lifting all remaining curbs in mid-February.

- Israel eases vaccine pass -

Israel, one of the first nations to implement a vaccine pass, is to curtail its use in most places, the government says, despite tens of thousands of daily coronavirus infections.

- Not us, Australia says -

Australia says a warship that brought aid to Tonga after its massive volcanic eruption was not the source of a virus outbreak that has plunged the previously Covid-free Pacific kingdom into a lockdown.

- Russia 'coping with surge' -

Russia says it has no plans for large-scale restrictions to reel in surging cases despite record new infections for 13 days running. "The healthcare system is coping," says Anna Popova, head of Russia's federal health regulator.

- Over 5.6 million dead -

Coronavirus has killed at least 5,686,108 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on Wednesday.

The United States has recorded the most Covid deaths with 890,770, followed by Brazil with 628,067 and India on 497,975.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.

With inputs from AFP.