Pakistan has recorded a further plunge in the coronavirus positivity ratio for the second consecutive day on Wednesday as the country recorded 1,118 infections and 77 deaths during the last 24 hours (Tuesday), showed the statistics released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday morning. 

During the last 24 hours (Tuesday), 1,118 persons tested positive for the virus in Pakistan out of the 43,900 who were tested for the infection. The country reported a positivity ratio of 2.54% with 77 people dying from the Covid-19. 

The death toll has now surged to 21,453. With the addition of 1,118 new infections, the number of confirmed cases has now soared to 936,131.

During the past 24 hours (Tuesday), 2,244 patients have recovered from the virus while the total recoveries stood at 869,691.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1402456918686416899

As of Wednesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 44,987, while the positivity rate was dropped to 2.54 percent while no critical care patient of the virus has been admitted to any medical facility.

As many as 325,110 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 343,031 in Punjab, 134,928 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 81,871 in Islamabad, 25,961 in Balochistan, 19,566 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 5,664 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 10,397 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 5,164 in Sindh, 4,170 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 766 in Islamabad, 558 in Azad Kashmir, 291 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.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Economic bounceback -

Fuelled by widespread Covid-19 vaccinations in advanced nations, the global economy is now expected to grow 5.6 percent this year, the fastest post-recession bounceback in 80 years, the World Bank says.

However, the bank warns that many countries, especially poor nations, are being left behind and will take years to return to  pre-pandemic levels.

- Moderna for teens -

The European Union's drug watchdog says it hopes to rule as soon as July on whether Moderna's coronavirus vaccine can be used for 12- to 17-year-olds.

- China to jab toddlers -

China has approved the Sinovac vaccine for children as young as three, the drugmaker tells AFP, but has yet to decide when to roll them out for schoolkids.

- Pandemic spooks Euro 2020 -  

Russian health authorities say that coronavirus cases in Saint Petersburg are on the rise with days to go before the city co-hosts the postponed Euro 2020 football championship. 

And two members of Sweden's national team, Dejan Kulusevski and Mattias Svanberg, test positive for Covid-19 ahead of the tournament.

- Covid test scam -

Authorities in 92 countries shut down 113,000 websites and online marketplaces selling counterfeit or illicit medicines and medical products last month, including vast quantities of fake Covid-19 tests and face masks, Interpol says.

- $1.3 billion vaccine initiative -

The Mastercard Foundation announces a $1.3 billion initiative to galvanise Africa's coronavirus vaccine campaign through a partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

- Joints for jabs -

The US state of Washington -- where recreational marijuana sales were legalised in 2012 -- is offering "joints for jabs," in the latest innovative bid to get more Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 as inoculation rates continue to slow.

- 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,739,777 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 597,952 deaths, followed by Brazil with 474,414, India  351,309, Mexico  228,838, Peru 186,757 and Britain with 127,841.

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.