As another 1,313 people diagnosed with the coronavirus during the past 24 hours (Tuesday), Pakistan recorded its highest daily count since July 26, showed the latest figures released by National Command and Operation Centre on Wednesday morning.

Hence, Tuesday was the third consecutive day with an increase in new cases after which the overall number has now increased to 337,573.

On the other hand, the second wave is proving to be deadly as well with 18 more deaths were reported in the country [Punjab eight and Sindh six], raising the toll to 6,867.

The region-wise distribution of the coronavirus cases is given as: Sindh 147,295, Punjab 105,197, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 39,889, Islamabad 20,471, Balochistan 16,000, Azad Kashmir 4,415 and Gilgit-Baltistan 4,306.

It means most of these new cases were reported in Sindh, Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

As far as the active cases are concerned, the number has jumped to 14,646 which represents an alarming increase in infection and lower recovery rate. Meanwhile, 959 of them are receiving treatment in hospitals. 

On the other hand, 747 of these hospitalised patients are in intensive care units due to their critical condition with 117 of them placed on ventilators.

Meanwhile, the number of people fully recovering from the infection increased to 316,060 after 614 were declared clear of the coronavirus after going through isolation or treatment in hospitals. 

Hence, a total of 322,927 cases have so far closed [deaths + number of people recovering from infection] in the country.

Also on Tuesday, 26,565 tests were administered in different parts of the country against the figures of 27,984 on the previous day.

It means the overall number of tests conducted in Pakistan since the outbreak of this pandemic has reached 4,541,392.

Latest global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Only the start for Europe -

French experts say Europe risks being hit with further waves of infections next year if no vaccine is found, as the continent scrambles to cope with a second deadly spike in Covid-19 cases.

As an AFP tally shows that more than 11 million cases have been reported in Europe, EU Council chief Charles Michel says he will convene a new videoconference summit of EU leaders on November 19 to discuss the bloc's response to the pandemic.

- Oil profits dive -

Energy giant Saudi Aramco posts a 44.6-percent slump in third-quarter profits, as the pandemic weighs heavily on demand for crude oil.

The world's richest listed company still managed to post a net profit of 44.21 billion Saudi riyals ($11.79 billion).

- Spain tourism suffers -

The world's second-most-popular tourist destination has seen a 75-percent drop in visitors during the first nine months of 2020. 

- UK, Slovakia antigen testing -

Antigen tests, which give far quicker results than classic PCR tests but are less reliable, are being rolled out in Liverpool and in Slovakia.

Slovakia is going to test its entire population of 5.4 million people, with the badly-hit northern English city also aiming to test all its inhabitants.

- Ukraine 'on brink of disaster' -

The ex-Soviet country registers a record daily number of 8,899 infections and its health minister Maksym Stepanov tells lawmakers: "We have passed the point of no return and are on the brink of disaster... the worst is yet to come".

- Dutch shut museums, cinemas, sex clubs -

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says the Netherlands will close its museums, cinemas, sex clubs and other public places for two weeks. 

The closure will affect some of the world's most popular attractions including Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, home to masterpieces from Dutch masters like Rembrandt.

- Nearly 47 million cases -

The virus has claimed at least 1,206,525 lives worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally on Tuesday at 1100 GMT based on official sources.

More than 46,958,530 cases have been registered across the globe.

The United States remains the most affected country, with 231,566 deaths. The countries with the next-highest death tolls are Brazil with 160,253, India with 123,097, and Mexico with 92,100.

- US football star positive -

Baltimore Ravens 24-year-old defensive star Marlon Humphrey tweets "I got the Rona" as he self-quarantines.

- French church attacker, too -

The Tunisian knife attacker who was shot six times by police after he killed three people in a church in French Mediterranean city Nice last week has Covid-19, a source close to the enquiry says.

- Lebanon mulls new lockdown -

Lebanon is weighing a second nationwide lockdown with Austria and Greece imposing curfews and further restrictions. 

- Theme park sadness -

California mayors appeal to the state's governor to ease curbs that have shut theme parks such as Disneyland, warning that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake.

With inputs from AFP.