The coronavirus positivity ratio in Pakistan has fallen below three percent as the country reported a further dip in the number of Covid cases and deaths.

According to the figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday, morning Pakistan recorded 1,383 new coronavirus cases and 53 deaths during the last 24 hours (Monday).

With the addition of 1,383 new infections, the number of confirmed cases has now soared to 935,013 whereas the death toll climbed up to 21,376 after adding the 53 new ones.

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During the past 24 hours (Monday), 2,516 patients have recovered from the virus while the total recoveries stood at 867,447.

As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 46,190, whereas the positivity ratio was dropped to 2.94 percent while no critical care patient of the virus has been admitted to any medical facility over the past 24 hours (Monday).

As many as 324,535 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 342,805 in Punjab, 134,781 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 81,806 in Islamabad, 25,893 in Balochistan, 19,538 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 5,655 in Gilgit Baltistan.

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Moreover, 10,349 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 5,144 in Sindh, 4,164 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 766 in Islamabad, 556 in Azad Kashmir, 290 in Balochistan and 107 in Gilgit Baltistan.

The health facilities across the country conducted 46,882 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of Covid-19 tests to 13,619,766 since the first case was reported early last year.

Punjab: Authorities reported 35 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 10,349. The province now has 342,805 confirmed cases; it reported 307 new infections after conducting 18,948 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.62 percent. There were 1,341 new recoveries recorded, leaving 319,288 fully recovered, and 13,168 active cases of the virus.

Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 324,535; it reported 707 new infections after administering 15,115 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.7 percent. The province reported 8 deaths, raising toll to 5,144, while its recoveries rose by 668 to 295,504. Overall, the province now has 23,887 active cases of the novel coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: During the past 24 hours (Monday), the provincial government recorded 223 new infections after conducting 7,824 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.85 percent. Overall, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 134,781. It recorded 6 new deaths and 207 recoveries, raising toll to 4,164 and recoveries to 126,242. There are currently 4,375 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Balochistan: The province raised its confirmed cases to 25,893 with 74 new infections after administering 1,210 tests for a positivity ratio of 6.11 percent. There was 1 death and 90 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 290 fatalities and 24,481 fully recovered. There are now 1,122 active cases of Covid-19 in the province.

Islamabad: The federal capital raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 40 to 81,806 after conducting 3,033 tests, a positivity ratio of 1.32 percent. There was 1 death and 147 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours (Monday), leaving 766 casualties; 78,187 recovered; and 2,853 active cases.

GB: Gilgit-Baltistan recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 333 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.9 percent; it now has 5,655 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 9 recoveries, leaving 107 fatalities and 5,430 fully recovered people. There are currently 118 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.

AJK: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 19 to 19,538 after administering 419 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.53 percent. There were 2 deaths and 54 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 556 fatalities and 18,315 fully recovered. It now has 667 active cases of COVID-19.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Free vaccinations in India -

India's government will provide free Covid-19 vaccinations for all adults, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, as the capital New Delhi and financial hub Mumbai ease lockdowns on falling infection levels.

- 50 percent of doses call -

The World Health Organization calls on Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to give the Covax scheme first refusal on new doses, or commit half of their volumes to the global jab equity scheme.

- Sputnik V in Slovakia -

Slovakia becomes the second European Union member after Hungary to start using Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, just two months after Bratislava's purchase of the Covid-19 jabs led to the resignation of Prime Minister Igor Matovic.

- Moderna for teens -

US biotech firm Moderna says it is seeking conditional approval for use of its Covid-19 vaccine on teens in the EU and Canada.

- Spain opens up -

Tourists start flying into Spain, after it opens its borders to all vaccinated travellers from all over the world. 

- 'Devastating' for work -

The UN's International Labour Organization says that the pandemic's impact on the world of work has been four times worse than the 2008 economic crisis, having a "devastating" and even "cataclysmic" effect.

- Tel Aviv Pride -

Tel Aviv's annual Pride celebration, considered the Middle East's largest, is set for June 25 the municipality announces, one year after the pandemic forced its cancellation.

- Giant concert in NYC -

New York City plans to organise a giant concert in Central Park in August to celebrate its rebirth after the pandemic, its mayor Bill de Blasio says.

- Africa Cup draw delayed -

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations draw, scheduled for Yaounde on June 25, has been postponed due to Covid-19, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirms.

- 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,731,297 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 597,628 deaths, followed by Brazil with 473,404, India with 349,186, Mexico with 228,804, Peru with 186,511 and Britain with 127,840.

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.