As Pakistan’s vaccination numbers crossed the 10-million mark, the coronavirus situation is receding as another 76 people lost their lives to the Covid-19 whereas 1,303 new infections were reported during the last 24 hours (Wednesday), showed the data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday morning.

As per the latest NCOC figures, after the addition of 76 deaths the toll has now surged to 21,529 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 937,434 after adding 1,303 new ones.

During the past 24 hours (Wednesday), 1,978 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 871,669.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1402812905884688387

As of Thursday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 44,236, while the positivity rate was recorded at 3.1 percent.

As many as 325,738 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 343,252 in Punjab, 135,162 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 81,933 in Islamabad, 26,052 in Balochistan, 19,623 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5,674 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 10,436 individuals have so far lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 5,183 in Sindh, 4,185 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 768 in Islamabad, 559 in Azad Kashmir, 291 in Balochistan and 107 in Gilgit Baltistan.

The health facilities across the country conducted 47,633 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 13,269,21 since the first case was reported early last year.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Bon appetit France -

The French will be able to eat inside restaurants and stay out until 11 pm for the first time in months as the country's curfew and other restrictions ease as vaccinations rise.

- US eases travel warnings -

The United States dials back warnings against travel to dozens of countries including Olympics host Japan and much of Europe. 

- Russian cases rise -

In Moscow however things are looking more worrying with the virus surging as officials struggle to persuade the public to get vaccinated.

- Fiji shutters parliament -

The South Pacific country's parliament is forced to close as its virus spike overwhelms quarantine facilities and prompts calls for a nationwide lockdown.

- Mongolia's virus-hampered vote -

Mongolians head to the polls to vote for the country's new president in an election hampered by cancelled debates and one candidate catching Covid.

- Anti-vax pharmacist jailed -

A vaccine-sceptic pharmacist in the US is jailed for three years after admitting tampering with hundreds of Moderna doses by removing vials from refrigerators hours before their use.

- Back in black -

Spanish retail giant Inditex -- owner of huge fashion chains such as Zara and Bershka -- says strong growth in online sales helped it return to profit in the first quarter.

- Non-refunds probe -

Britain opens an investigation into British Airways and Irish carrier Ryanair for failing to refund all customers whose flights were cancelled because of the pandemic.

- Complicated Copa -

New doubts gather over the Copa America football tournament five days from kick-off as Brazil's Supreme Court considers blocking it and the Brazilian team say they are against it being held there.

- Texas hospital in court -

More than 100 employees of one of the largest hospitals in Texas are suing after it threatened to fire them for not getting vaccinated.

- Oz baseball dream in tatters -

Baseball Australia makes the "gut-wrenching" decision to end their Olympic dream, pulling out of this month's qualifier in Mexico citing "insurmountable" challenges during the pandemic.

- Tougher Euro 2020 measures -

Sweden's Euro 2020 squad will be subjected to stricter Covid measures after two players, star forward Dejan Kulusevski and midfielder Mattias Svanberg, test positive.

- Andrew Lloyd Webber threat -

"Cats" and "Evita" creator Andrew Lloyd Webber says he is prepared to be arrested if the UK government does not lift all restrictions on June 21 when his hit musicals are due to return to London's West End.

- Asia Games off -

Vietnam plans to postpone this year's Southeast Asian Games -- the regional Olympics due to be held in November and December -- as the country grapples with a new virus outbreak.

- 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,750,028 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 598,326 deaths, followed by Brazil with 476,792, India 353,528, Mexico 229,100, Peru 187,157 and Britain with 127,854.

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.