Another 47 people lost their lives to the coronavirus whereas 1,303 fresh cases were reported during the last 24 hours (Thursday) across Pakistan, showed the figures issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday morning.

As per the latest NCOC statistics, after the addition of 47 more deaths, the toll has now surged to 21,576 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 938,737.

A total of 40,483 tests have been conducted during the last 24 hours (Thursday) as the positivity rate stood at 3.21 percent.

   On Thursday, the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department had prepared recommendations regarding newer restrictions on unvaccinated individuals.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1403179179022094339

Reports in local media suggest that Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid presided over a meeting, in which officials mulled blocking of SIM cards of those citizens who refuse to get themselves vaccinated against the novel Covid-19.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- 100 mn fully vaccinated in EU -

At least 100.95 million people in the 27-nation European Union, or 22.6 percent of its population, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to an AFP count at 1500 GMT Thursday. 

Since the start of the vaccination campaigns in December 2020, 284.38 million doses have been administered in the bloc to around 189.67 million people, meaning 42.4 percent of the population has received at least one dose.

Earlier the World Health Organization warned vaccination rates in Europe are still far off what is needed to stop a resurgence and called on countries to maintain protective measures.

- 'Historic step' -

President Joe Biden calls a US donation of 500 million Covid vaccine doses to poorer countries a "historic step" in the fight against the global pandemic, which is also in the US interest because of the risk of variants.

- Africa missing deadline -

Nearly 90 percent of African countries will miss a target of vaccinating a tenth of their population by September unless they urgently receive more than 200 million jabs, the WHO warns.

- Appeal to vaccine makers -

French President Emmanuel Macron calls for pharmaceutical groups producing vaccines against Covid-19 to donate 10 percent of their production to poor nations. 

- Moderna for teens -

American biotech company Moderna says it is asking the US Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine to be given to adolescents. 

- Britain's health minister on defensive -

Britain's health minister Matt Hancock rejects claims made by Boris Johnson's influential former top aide that he had lied to the prime minister and colleagues about his handling of the pandemic.

- J&J shelf life -

Johnson & Johnson says the US Food and Drug Administration has authorised an extension for the shelf life of its Covid-19 vaccine from three months to four-and-a-half months, to avoid millions of doses expiring and being tossed. 

- ECB raises forecasts -

The European Central Bank raises its growth and inflation forecasts, as vaccinations and fewer coronavirus infections allow businesses to reopen and pent-up demand fuels consumer spending.

- 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,764,250 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 598,765 deaths, followed by Brazil with 479,515, India 359,676, Mexico 229,353, Peru 187,479 and Britain with 127,860.

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.