The Diamir city of Gilgit Baltistan showed a massive surge in positivity ratio which was 100 percent as Pakistan recorded a healthy dip in the number of everyday coronavirus infections during the last 24 hours (Monday). Two deaths from the virus were also registered during this period, 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 now moved up to 30,490 after adding the two fatalities while the number of total infections now stood at 1,555,639 after adding the fresh 661 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Monday), 13,822 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 2.84 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 156.

The maximum positivity ratio during the last 24 hours was recorded in Diamir which was at 100 percent, followed by Lahore at 9.7 percent, Peshawar 9.3, Mardan 6.98, Skardu 4.55, Mirpur 3.61, Islamabad 3.30, Multan 1.97, Karachi 1.42, Rawalpindi 0.65 and Quetta 0.39 percent.

https://twitter.com/NIH_Pakistan/status/1554279371107667968

During the last 24 hours (Monday), another 295 patients have recovered from the Covid-19 in Pakistan and the number of total recoveries now stood at 1,516,431. As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 8,718.

As many as 591,053 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 513,894 in Punjab, 221,438 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 137,515 in Islamabad, 35,811 in Balochistan, 43,688 in Azad Kashmir and 11,896 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

As many as 13,588 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 8,181 in Sindh, 6,330 in KP, 1,028 in Islamabad, 793 in Azad Kashmir, 378 in Balochistan and 191 in Gilgit Baltistan.

India records 13,734 Covid cases

India recorded 13,734 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 34 deaths due to the infection in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Health Ministry on Tuesday (August 2), the total recovery rate reached at around 98.49 percent and total recoveries data reached 4,33,83,787.

The total active cases of COVID-19 in India have declined to 1,39,792, the health ministry data showed. Yesterday, the registered active cases were 1,43,989. The active cases comprise 0.32 per cent of the total infections, the ministry said. 

The total death toll in the country is now at 5,26,430. In India, the first death due to the COVID pandemic was reported in March 2020. The daily positivity rate stood at 3.34%, while the weekly positivity rate was 4.79%.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 87,58,92611 samples have been tested up to August 1 for COVID-19. Of these 4,11,102 samples were tested on Monday. 

The Covid positivity rate in Delhi jumped to 11.41 per cent, the highest in six months, as the city reported 822 new cases and two fatalities on Monday, according to the data shared by the health department here. The national capital had reported a positivity rate of 11.79 per cent on January 24.

The positivity rate and daily Covid cases have steadily risen in the last one week. The city saw more than 1,000 cases for five consecutive days till Sunday. It had logged 1,891 cases on June 26, according to official data.

Biden feels good as he continues to test positive for Covid

US President Joe Biden feels good and is looking forward to getting back on the road as he continues to test positive for COVID-19 and maintains isolation procedures, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday.

"He's feeling fine," Jean-Pierre told reporters at a White House briefing.

Biden, 79, had just emerged from isolation on Wednesday after testing positive for COVID for the first time on July 21, when he tested positive again on Saturday in what his physician Kevin O'Connor described as a "rebound" case seen in a small percentage of patients who take the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

He tested positive again on Monday "as could be anticipated," O'Connor said in a memo released by the White House.

"He will continue to conduct the business of the American people from the Executive Residence," O'Connor wrote.

Jean-Pierre said Biden still has mild "lingering" symptoms from his first bout with COVID, but has not experienced any new symptoms, such as a fever.

Paxlovid is an antiviral medication from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) that is used to treat high-risk patients, such as older patients.

Biden tweeted about his positive case on Saturday, saying it could happen to a "small minority of folks." He later posted a video on Twitter where he said he was "feeling fine" and "everything's good."

Biden's return to isolation came after he celebrated being able to work in person again at a Rose Garden event on Wednesday.