There was another deep plunge in the number of daily coronavirus infections as Pakistan posted 36 Covid-19 cases and no death during the last 24 hours (Thursday), showed the statistics released by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Friday morning.

As per the latest NIH data, the death toll remained the same at 30,379, whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,530,556 after adding the fresh 36 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Thursday), 14,635 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio plummeted to 0.25 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 76.

https://twitter.com/NIH_Pakistan/status/1532539700568809472

During the last 24 hours (Thursday), another 628 people recovered from the Covid-19 and the number of total recoveries now stood at 1,497,369. As of Friday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 2,808.

As many as 577,603 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 507,236 in Punjab, 219,697 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 135,429 in Islamabad, 35,501 in Balochistan, 43,340 in Azad Kashmir and 11,750 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The death toll remained as 13,564 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 8,106 in Sindh, 6,324 in KP, 1,024 in Islamabad, 792 in Azad Kashmir, 378 in Balochistan and 191 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Vaccination for US kids younger than 5 could start in a few weeks

The White House laid out the federal government's plans to make the first COVID-19 vaccines available for very young children.

COVID-19 vaccinations for kids younger than 5 could start right after the Juneteenth holiday.

In a White House briefing on Thursday, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator, said if the Food and Drug Administration authorizes vaccines for the youngest kids soon after a June 15 advisory meeting, shipments of the first 10 million doses could start arriving at doctors' offices as soon as the following weekend.

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would also have to weigh in. Ultimately, the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, would have to give the go-ahead before vaccination could start.

"We expect that vaccination will begin in earnest as early as June 21 and really roll on throughout that week," Jha said.

Jha said that every parent who wants to vaccinate their baby (6 months and older), toddler or other child younger than 5 could likely do so within weeks after the shots become available.

Prince Andrew to miss jubilee service due to Covid

Queen Elizabeth II's disgraced second son Prince Andrew has contracted Covid and will not attend a thanksgiving service for her Platinum Jubilee, Buckingham Palace said Thursday.

"After undertaking a routine test, the Duke (of York) has tested positive for Covid and with regret will no longer be attending tomorrow's service," a spokesman said after there was no sign of the prince at Thursday's ceremonies.

British media said the 62-year-old duke, sidelined from royal duties because of public outrage at his links to a convicted sex offender, had seen his 96-year-old mother in recent days.

But he has not seen her since he tested positive.

A thanksgiving service for the queen's 70 years on the throne is due to be held at St Paul's Cathedral in central London on Friday.

Andrew, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot, has kept a low profile since late 2019 when he tried to defend his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The US financier killed himself in prison while awaiting sex trafficking charges in 2019.

Andrew earlier this year settled a US civil case for sexual assault brought by a woman who claimed Epstein trafficked her for sex.

He claimed never to have met her. Seeking to limit the reputational damage to the monarchy, he was stripped of his honorary military titles, effectively giving him no frontline royal role.

In late March, there was widespread public disapproval that he accompanied his ailing mother to her seat for the memorial service of her late husband Prince Philip.

That prompted speculation he was angling for a return to duties.

Earlier this week, the highest-ranking cleric in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, suggested Andrew was "seeking to make amends", urging people to "step back a bit".

The archbishop, Justin Welby, also pulled out of the St Paul's service due to Covid.

With inputs from AFP.