The third wave of coronavirus pandemic gave no hint of receding as the single-day death toll crossed the 100 mark for the first time during this wave.

According to the data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday morning, another 103 people have lost their lives to the Covid-19 infection whereas 3,953 fresh cases were reported during the last 24 hours (Monday).

As per the NCOC statistics, after adding 103 fatalities, the death toll has now surged to 14,924 whereas the number of total confirmed cases stood at 696,184, after adding 3,953 new ones.

During the past 24 hours (Monday), 2,198 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the number of total recoveries stood at 618,158. As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 63,102 and the positivity rate stood at 8.47 percent.

As many as 266,926 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 235,569 in Punjab, 93,033 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 62,211 in Islamabad, 19,855 in Balochistan, 13,529 in Azad Jammu and  Kashmir and 5,061 in Gilgit Baltistan.

As many as 6,675 individuals have now lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 4,510 in Sindh, 2,469 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 584 in Islamabad, 372 in Azad Kashmir, 211 in Balochistan and 103 in Gilgit Baltistan.

A total of 46,665 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours (Monday) whereas 10,493,36 samples have been so far tested.

Punjab: Authorities reported 88 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 6,675. The province now has 235,569 confirmed cases; it reported 2,221 new infections after conducting 19,304 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.51 percent. There were 1,301 new recoveries recorded, leaving 196,985 fully recovered, and 31,909 active cases of the virus.

Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 266,926; it reported 308 new infections on Tuesday after conducting 10,300 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.99 percent. The province reported 1 new death, raising toll to 4,510, while its recoveries rose by 191 to 256,897. Overall, the province now has 5,519 active cases of the novel coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: The provincial government recorded 610 new infections after conducting 7,198 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.47 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 93,033. It recorded 12 new deaths and 150 recoveries, raising toll to 2,469 and recoveries to 79,030. There are currently 11,534 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Balochistan: The province raised its confirmed cases to 19,855 with 70 new infections after conducting 1,148 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.1 percent. There were no deaths and 23 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 211 fatalities and 19,185 fully recovered. There are now 459 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Islamabad: The federal capital raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 659 to 62,211 after conducting 7,500 tests; a positivity ratio of 8.79 percent. There was 1 death and 461 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 584 casualties; 49,839 recovered; and 11,788 active cases.

Gilgit Baltistan: Gilgit-Baltistan reported 2 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday after conducting 396 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.5 percent; it now has 5,061 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths or recoveries, leaving 103 fatalities and 4,890 fully recovered people. There are currently 68 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.

Azad Kashmir: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 57 to 13,529 after conducting 819 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.6 percent. There were 2 deaths and 45 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 372 fatalities and 11,332 fully recovered. It now has 1,825 active cases of COVID-19.

Global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- India infections hit record high -

India's worst-hit state ramps up its coronavirus restrictions as the number of daily infections nationwide exceeds 100,000 for the first time.

Hopes the outbreak may be subsiding in the nation of 1.3 billion people have been dashed as a fresh wave pushes the national total to 12.5 million infections and 165,000 deaths.

- UK to reopen pubs -

Britons can return to the country's pubs and restaurants from next week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says, although he holds off on an anticipated announcement about restarting foreign travel.

With almost half the population vaccinated, the country is well ahead of its European neighbours.

- Tehran sees red -

The new daily Covid-19 infections reach a four-month high in Iran as the capital Tehran is put on the highest virus risk level "red".

The Islamic republic is battling the Middle East's deadliest outbreak with case numbers rising after a surge in travel during the Iranian new year holidays at the end of March.

- Saudi limits pilgrims -

Saudi Arabia says only people immunised against coronavirus will be allowed to visit for the year-round umrah pilgrimage from the start of Muslim holy fasting month Ramadan.

Those who have received two doses of the vaccine, those administered a single dose at least 14 days prior, and people who have recovered from the infection will all be eligible, the pilgrimage ministry says.

- Portugal starts to reopen -

Portugal reopens museums, cafe terraces and secondary schools nearly two months after tightening Covid-19 curbs following a wave of cases early this year.

But it's still only four people to a table and group training sessions at gyms and sports venues remain banned.

- Shops open again in Greece -

Greece relaxes a nationwide lockdown by opening most retail shops despite high levels of Covid-19 infections and fatalities.

By allowing people to "decompress" outside as the weather warms, the government hopes to fix an economy that has taken a battering from reduced tourism.

- Kiev turns screws -

Ukrainian capital Kiev introduces new curbs, including closing primary schools and restrictions on travel with public transport to essential workers like doctors.

The city of three million is "very close" to the "collapse of the medical system", Mayor Vitali Klitschko says.

- Venice vaccinates on vaporettos -

Venice vaccinates some elderly residents on a vaporetto, using one of the city's sturdy, public water buses as a floating clinic, but only for Easter Monday.

Other unusual venues being used to boost Italy's vaccine campaign over the long weekend, include Naples' Capodimonte Museum and Monza's historic race track north of Milan.

- France to make vaccines -

With Europe's vaccine rollout in part hampered by production problems, manufacturing is set to begin in France with contractor Delpharm producing doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, the economy ministry says.

New daily cases have surged to around 40,000 in France, double the level a month ago, as the country struggles to contain a third wave of infections.

- More than 2.8 million dead -

The coronavirus has killed at least 2,855,223 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources at 1900 GMT Monday. At least 131,332,667 cases of coronavirus have been registered.

The countries with the most new deaths were Brazil with 1,240 followed by India with 478 and Russia with 343.

With inputs from AFP.