Pakistan has recorded a dip in coronavirus infections as the country registered 421 Covid-19 cases and no fatality during the last 24 hours (Monday), showed the figures released by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Tuesday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As per the NIH data, the death toll in the country remained the same at 30,508 while the number of total infections now stood at 1,560,250 after adding the fresh 421 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Monday), 16,648 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 2.53 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 159.

https://twitter.com/NIH_Pakistan/status/1556819101577773057

India registers 12,751 new Covid cases

With 12,751 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India's tally of Covid-19 cases rose to 4,41,74,650, while the active cases have declined to 1,31,807, according to the Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The death toll has climbed to 5,26,772 with 42 fatalities which includes 10 deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.30 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.51 percent, the ministry said.

A decrease of 3,703 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 3.50 percent and the weekly positivity rate at 4.69 percent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,35,16,071, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 percent.

According to the ministry, 206.88 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year.

The fresh fatalities include six from Delhi, five from West Bengal, four from Maharashtra, three each from Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, two each from Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan and one each from Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Hong Kong reduces Covid quarantine for arrivals

Hong Kong will cut its hotel quarantine for international arrivals from one week to three days from Friday, leader John Lee announced, in an easing of Covid restrictions that have severely curbed travel.

Once a global logistics and transportation hub, Hong Kong has been largely cut off from the world for more than two years due to its adherence to China's strict zero-Covid policy.

Under some of the world's tightest pandemic rules, Hong Kong had required overseas arrivals to undergo seven days of quarantine and repeated testing while confined to a room in a designated hotel, a restriction that residents and the business community complained has deterred them from travelling.

Lee, Hong Kong's ex-security chief turned city leader, announced Monday that the quarantine period for arrivals would be shortened to three days in a hotel plus four days of health monitoring at home or in a hotel of their choice.

"We hope to maintain livelihood activities and Hong Kong's competitiveness, and to give the society the best development momentum and economic vitality," Lee said.

He denied the easing signalled any departure from China's policy.

"Staying in touch with the outside world and working to resume quarantine-free travel with the mainland are no contradiction," he said.

Alongside the new quarantine arrangements, Hong Kong will implement a health code system similar to mainland China's on a government-developed tracking app.

Under the system, an infected person will be given a red code that prevents them from leaving quarantine.

Overseas arrivals will be given a yellow code and will not be allowed in places such as restaurants, bars, gyms and cinemas during their four days of self-monitoring.

"The situation may give business visitors some relief but it is still not very attractive to tourists," said Perry Yiu, a lawmaker responsible for Hong Kong's tourism sector.

"I hope... we can get rid of mandatory hotel quarantine by the fourth quarter this year."

But a Hong Kong IT professional working in Singapore expressed caution about returning home.

"I will adopt a wait-and-see model to see if the policy is stable," said the man, who identified himself as Tom.

"From the standpoint of a tourist, I will definitely not go."

With inputs from AFP.