Pakistan has registered another 98 infections and one death from coronavirus during the last 24 hours (Thursday), showed the statistics released by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Friday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As per the latest NIH data, the death toll in Pakistan now climbed up to 30,383 after one fatality was reported from Punjab, whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,531,679 after adding the fresh 98 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Thursday), 11,461 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 0.86 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 54.

https://twitter.com/NIH_Pakistan/status/1537622219416805377

During the last 24 hours (Thursday), another 62 people recovered from the Covid-19 in Pakistan and the number of total recoveries now stood at 1,498,279. As of Friday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 3,017.

As many as 578,059 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 507,584 in Punjab, 219,762 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 135,652 in Islamabad, 35,510 in Balochistan, 43,359 in Azad Kashmir and 11,753 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

As many as 13,566 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 8,108 in Sindh, 6,324 in KP, 1,024 in Islamabad, 792 in Azad Kashmir, 378 in Balochistan and 191 in Gilgit Baltistan.

White House faces questions on Biden's Covid status

The White House faced intense questioning from reporters Thursday over when Joe Biden last tested negative for Covid-19 following a spate of positive cases among high-ranking officials with access to the president.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to tell reporters when Biden last had a test, saying only that he was sticking to a once-a-week rhythm.

"He has a regular weekly cadence. I just don't have a date," Jean-Pierre said, declining to explain why she was not giving more detail, as the White House until recently used to do on a regular basis.

"What we normally do is he gets tested weekly and that's his cadence," she said, although there have "been times when he's tested more than that because we travel."

Asked if Biden had ever tested positive, she said "no he has not. Not that I know of. We would share that."

NBC News later quoted an unnamed official saying that Biden tested negative for Covid-19 early Thursday and also on Monday. The White House would not answer a request for confirmation of the report.

Biden's top pandemic advisor, Anthony Fauci, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, but according to the White House was not considered a close contact to Biden.

Earlier this week, US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also revealed Monday that he had tested positive, his case coming right after attending a regional Summit of the Americas with Biden in Los Angeles.

Other high-level officials with frequent access to Biden who said they caught Covid this year include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, CIA chief William Burns and Jean-Pierre.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI positive for Covid-19

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has tested positive for Covid-19, but without exhibiting symptoms, the monarch's personal doctor said Thursday.

Professor Lahcen Belyamani recommended "a period of rest for a few days", according to a statement published by the official MAP news agency.

The 58-year-old king's health is the subject of keen public interest in the North African kingdom, especially since he underwent heart surgery in both February 2018 and June 2020.

Mohammed VI has ruled Morocco since July 1999, when he inherited the throne from his father Hassan II.

 

With inputs from AFP.