Pakistan has recorded 83 more coronavirus deaths and 1,893 infections during the last 24 hours (Thursday) taking the countrywide toll of fatalities to 21,105 and of cases to 928,588, showed the figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday morning.

As per the latest NCOC statistics, a total of 52,859 samples were tested to diagnose the coronavirus, out of which 1,893 turned out to be positive. The positivity rate of infections was recorded at 3.58%, the NCOC said.

As many as 3,431 more people recuperated from the disease during the last 24 hours (Friday), taking the number of recovered patients to 856,005. The number of Covid-19 patients in critical care has come down to 3,557.

On Thursday, the National Command and Operation Centre had directed the provincial governments to take strict administrative actions against the masses flouting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Covid-19.

The forum decided to take all possible steps to ensure the implementation of COVID SOPs along with pursuing the mass vaccination campaign.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Two billion vaccines -

In a milestone moment six months after the first campaigns began, more than two billion Covid-19 vaccines have now been given across the world, according to an AFP tally drawn from official sources.

- US shots for poor countries -

The White House unveils its plan for the first of 80 million coronavirus vaccine doses being distributed globally, with 75 percent disbursed via the Covax programme. It prioritises countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa.

- Surge in Kinshasa -

The World Health Organization says it detected "an exponential rise" late last month in coronavirus cases in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And it says Africa is not ready to face an imminent third wave of the pandemic.

- Games '100 percent' on -

The Tokyo Olympics are "100 percent" certain to go ahead, the chief organiser says.

But with only 50 days to the opening ceremony, she warns that a big outbreak mid-Games could slam the door shut on fans.

- Bahrain urges booster shots -

Bahrain, which is rolling out one of the fastest vaccination drives but seeing a spike in infections, urges residents who have been inoculated with China's Sinopharm coronavirus jab to take a booster shot.

- Italy jabs its youngsters -

Italy, one of the European nations hardest hit by the pandemic, opens vaccinations for everybody over the age of 12.

- US jobless down again -

New applications for unemployment benefits drop below 400,000 for the first time since the pandemic caused mass layoffs in the United States.

- STIs down in Norway -

Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) declined sharply in Norway last year thanks to social distancing during the pandemic, official statistics show.

- Cruise ship in Venice -  

A cruise ship arrives in Venice for the first time in 17 months, signalling the return of tourists after the pandemic.

- Jerusalem pride -

Thousands take part in Jerusalem's Gay Pride march, a year after most of the globe's Pride events were called off due to the pandemic.

- Nearly 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,693,717 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 595,833 deaths, followed by Brazil with 467,706, India with 337,989, Mexico with 228,146, Peru with 184,942 and Britain with 127,794.

The figures are based on reports by health authorities in each country, but do not take into account upward revisions carried out later by statistical bodies. 

The WHO says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.

With inputs from AFP.