Pakistan logs 137 coronavirus deaths, 5,445 new infections

April 20, 2021 11:59 AM

Another 137 people lost their lives due to the third wave of the novel coronavirus whereas 5,445 fresh cases were reported during the last 24 hours (Monday), showed the figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday morning.

As per the latest NCOC data, after the addition of 137 deaths, the toll has now surged to 16,453 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 766,882, after adding the 5,445 new ones.

During the past 24 hours (Monday), 4,286 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 667,131. As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 83,298, and the positivity rate recorded at 8 percent.

As many as 273,466 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 273,566 in Punjab, 107,309 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 70,609 in Islamabad, 21,000 in Balochistan, 15,741 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5,191 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 7,561 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 4,556 in Sindh, 2,920 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 645 in Islamabad, 442 in Azad Kashmir, 225 in Balochistan and 104 in Gilgit Baltistan.

The health facilities across the country conducted 68,002 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of Covid-19 tests to 11,272,53 since the first case was reported early last year.

Punjab: Authorities reported 104 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 7,561. The province now has 273,566 confirmed cases; it reported 3,228 new infections after conducting 41,074 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.86 percent. There were 2,432 new recoveries recorded, leaving 220,514 fully recovered, and 45,491 active cases of the virus.

Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 273,466; it reported 737 new infections after conducting 14,109 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.22 percent. The province reported 3 new deaths, raising toll to 4,556, while its recoveries rose by 350 to 260,678. Overall, the province now has 8,232 active cases of the novel coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: During the past 24 hours (Monday), the provincial government recorded 809 new infections after conducting 7,027 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.51 percent. Overall, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 107,309. It recorded 21 new deaths and 811 recoveries, raising toll to 2,920 and recoveries to 90,798. There are currently 13,591 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Balochistan: The province raised its confirmed cases to 21,000 with 60 new infections after conducting 710 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.45 percent. There were 2 deaths and 48 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 225 fatalities and 19,812 fully recovered. There are now 963 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Islamabad: The federal captial raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 530 to 70,609 after conducting 4,233 tests; a positivity ratio of 12.52 percent. There were 3 deaths and 511 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 645 casualties; 57,316 recovered; and 12,648 active cases.

GB: Gilgit-Baltistan recorded nine new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 247 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.64 percent; it now has 5,191 confirmed cases. The region reported 1 new death and 19 recoveries, leaving 104 fatalities and 4,990 fully recovered people. There are currently 97 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.

AJK: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 72 to 15,741 after conducting 602 tests, a positivity ratio of 11.96 percent. There were 3 deaths and 115 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 442 fatalities and 13,023 fully recovered. It now has 2,276 active cases of COVID-19.

Global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- New Delhi lockdown -

India's capital enters a week-long lockdown as the megacity struggles to contain a huge surge in cases with hospitals running out of beds and oxygen supplies low.

And India says it will open its Covid-19 vaccination drive to all adults from May 1 and reports a record-high of 273,810 infections to take the total to 15.06 million.

- UK red list -

The UK imposes its strictest travel curbs on India, adding it to its travel "red list", hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancels an already delayed trip there next week.

- Easing curbs -

Portugal reopens shopping centres, high schools and universities and allows indoor dining after new infections ease off.

Slovenia reopens cafe and restaurant terraces after six months following a decline in infections and deaths.

And the Swiss hit the gym and the outdoor cafes as Covid curbs are eased despite rising case rates.

- No to vaccination passports -

The World Health Organization's emergency committee says it is against international travellers being required to have proof of vaccination, partly because such a measure would deepen inequities.

- Thunberg donates -

Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg slams the "tragedy" of vaccine inequity as she donates 100,000 euros ($120,000) from her foundation to the Covax scheme for global access to Covid-19 jabs.

- DR Congo vaccinates -

The DR Congo launches its Covid-19 vaccination campaign in the capital Kinshasa using the AstraZeneca jab after delaying its launch initially set for March 15 as a precaution after other countries suspended the use of the vaccine.

- More than three million dead -

At least 3,020,765 people have died of Covid-19 around the world since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 567,217 deaths, followed by Brazil with 373,335, Mexico with 212,339, India with 178,769 and Britain with 127,270.

With inputs from AFP.