Another 161 people lost their lives to the coronavirus whereas 3,377 new infections were reported during the last 24 hours (Monday) throughout Pakistan, showed the data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday morning.

As per the latest NCOC statistics, after the addition of 161 deaths, the toll has now surged to 18,310 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 837,523, after adding the 3,377 new ones.

During the past 24 hours (Monday), 5,018 patients have recovered from the virus while the total recoveries stood at 733,062. As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 86,151, and the positivity rate dropped to 8.98 percent.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1389434368108777474

 As many as 286,521 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 308,529 in Punjab, 120,590 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 76,492 in Islamabad, 22,664 in Balochistan, 17,397 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5,330 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, 8,683 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 4,678 in Sindh, 3,423 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 693 in Islamabad, 487 in Azad Kashmir, 239 in Balochistan and 107 in Gilgit Baltistan.

The health facilities across the country conducted 37,587 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of Covid-19 tests to 11,965,68 since the first case was reported early last year.

Punjab: Authorities reported 111 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 8,683. The province now has 308,529 confirmed cases; it reported 1,600 new infections after conducting 14,137 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.32 percent. There were 3,269 new recoveries recorded, leaving 256,956 fully recovered, and 42,890 active cases of the virus.

Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 286,521; it reported 895 new infections after conducting 12,696 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.05 percent. The province reported 11 deaths, raising toll to 4,678, while its recoveries rose by 500 to 265,776. Overall, the province now has 16,067 active cases of the novel coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: During the past 24 hours (Monday), the provincial government recorded 526 new infections after conducting 6,030 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.72 percent. Overall, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 120,590. It recorded 31 new deaths and 624 recoveries, raising toll to 3,423 and recoveries to 105,527. There are currently 11,640 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Balochistan: The province raised its confirmed cases to 22,664 with 44 new infections after conducting 424 tests, a positivity ratio of 10.38 percent. There were 2 deaths and 88 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 239 fatalities and 21,014 fully recovered. There are now 1,411 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Islamabad: The federal capital raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 283 to 76,492 after conducting 3,596 tests; a positivity ratio of 7.87 percent. There were 2 deaths and 452 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 693 casualties; 63,933 recovered; and 11,866 active cases.

GB: Gilgit-Baltistan recorded three new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 392 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.76 percent; it now has 5,330 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 8 recoveries, leaving 107 fatalities and 5,110 fully recovered people. There are currently 113 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.

AJK: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 26 to 17,397 after conducting 312 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.33 percent. There were 4 deaths and 77 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 487 fatalities and 14,746 fully recovered. It now has 2,164 active cases of COVID-19.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- India: 20 million infected -

India's Covid cases soar to 20 million as oxygen shortages in hospitals exacerbate a devastating second wave and much-needed foreign assistance continues to pour in.

Experts warn that even the nightmarish official infection figures are likely to be an underestimate, with some patients dying in queues to enter hospital.

- Denmark drops J&J -

Denmark says the Covid-19 vaccine from US drugmaker Johnson & Johnson will not be included in its national vaccination campaign, citing worries over serious side effects involving blood clots, following a similar move against the AstraZeneca jab.

- Jabs for children -

Europe's drugs regulator says it has begun evaluating the use of Pfizer BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds after a similar request in the United States, a move seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity.

And US biotech firm Novavax says it has started clinical trials of its proposed Covid-19 vaccine on children, in a programme that will involve up to 3,000 adolescents aged 12-17.

- Philippine president jabbed, after all - 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte receives his first shot of China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, weeks after saying he would waive his chance to be inoculated, as the country struggles to secure jabs amid a resurgence in infections.

- Covax boost -

The Covax scheme which provides free vaccines to developing countries signs an advance purchase agreement with Moderna for half a billion doses of its jab.

- EU opens 'to vaccinated' -

Travellers fully vaccinated with EU-approved jabs from countries where the pandemic is under control could soon be allowed to enter the bloc.

The European Commission is eyeing easing restrictions, likely starting with Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

- Greek tavernas reopen -

Greek cafes and restaurants reopen their terraces after six months of shutdown, with customers flocking to soak up the sunshine and toast a return to "normal life".

- Oktoberfest cancelled -

Germany's iconic Oktoberfest beer festival will be cancelled this year for the second year running due to the pandemic, Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder says.

- Jordan opens border -

Jordan reopens two border posts closed nine months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic -- one with Saudi Arabia, the other with Syria -- but with strict limits on the numbers allowed in each day and testing requirements.

- Europa League spectators -

Up to 9,500 spectators will be allowed to attend the Europa League final in the Polish city of Gdansk later this month, UEFA announces.

- Over 3.2 million dead -

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 3.2 million people worldwide since the virus first emerged in late 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 577,045 deaths, followed by Brazil with 407,639, India 218,959, Mexico 217,233 and Britain 127,524. 

 

With inputs from AFP.