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News

Pakistan reports 10 coronavirus deaths, 310 infections

Britain launches aid packages to help businesses: Israel bans travel from US

December 22, 2021 09:10 AM


Pakistan has recorded 10 deaths and 310 infections from coronavirus pandemic during the last 24 hours (Tuesday) reflecting the disease under control prompting the authorities to lift all the restrictions on businesses.

According to the statistics released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday morning, after the addition of 10 new deaths, the overall toll has now surged to 28,892 whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,291,737 after adding the fresh 310 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Tuesday), a total of 46,991 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 0.65 percent. The number of patients in critical care was 645.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1473459614004006916

During the last 24 hours (Tuesday), as many as 296 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 1,253,594. As of Wednesday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 9,561.

As many as 479,664 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 444,320 in Punjab, 181,053 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 108,329 in Islamabad, 33,606 in Balochistan, 34,646 in Azad Kashmir and 10,429 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, 13,060 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 7,658 in Sindh, 5,915 in KP, 964 in Islamabad, 745 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan and 186 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Business activities

Business activities will go on 24 hours after a two-year halt as part of protective measures the authorities adopted to stem the spread of coronavirus. Due to the epidemic, the Punjab government had imposed lockdown to protect the citizens from the deadly virus, bringing business activities to a halt. 

This had left adverse effects on the commercial activities across the province for two years. 

Following the apparent reduction in Covid infectoins, instructions have now been issued to all commercial centres across the province to continue working 24 hours. 

In this regard, Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Imran Sikandar Baloch had issued a formal notification.

Business centres across Punjab can operate 24 hours a day, while the Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education had instructed the citizens to adopt precautionary measures before entering the market.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the global developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Omicron-tweaked shots? - 

There is "no answer yet" on whether vaccine makers will have to adapt their Covid shots to counter the Omicron variant, Europe's medicines watchdog chief says.

- New German curbs -

Germany caps private New Year's Eve parties at 10 vaccinated or recovered guests, and announces a ban on spectators at large sporting events from December 28 to slow Omicron's spread.

- UK aid package -

Britain launches a £1.0 billion ($1.3 billion, 1.2 billion euro) aid package to help UK businesses hardest hit by the Omicron variant over Christmas.

- Israel bans travel from US -

Israel's parliament bans travel from the United States, adding it to a blacklist of 50 countries now off limits as it tries to contain the Omicron variant.

- WHO approves Novavax - 

The World Health Organization (WHO) approves the Covid vaccine made by US pharma giant Novavax for emergency use, a day after the European Union gave it the green light.

- Omicron dominant in Denmark -

The highly transmissible Omicron variant is now dominant in Denmark, its health minister says.

And it accounts for one fifth of cases in France, the government spokesman says.

- Nigeria cases rocket - 

Nigeria says Covid cases have shot up by 500 percent over the past two weeks, as it enters a fourth wave of the coronavirus.

- Sweden adopts measures -

Sweden announces a slew of measures, including an expanded use of vaccine certificates, as Covid cases mount.

- Romanians protest pass -

Up to 2,000 Romanians protest in front of the parliament against a proposed workplace Covid-19 green pass.

- Hogmanay street party off -

Edinburgh's New Year's Eve street party is cancelled due to surging Covid cases, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces.

- Africa Cup of Nations on -

The Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead as planned in Cameroon next month, African football chief Patrice Motsepe confirms, dispelling rumours that it could again fall victim to the Covid-19 pandemic.

- More than 5.3 million dead - 

The coronavirus has killed at least 5,359,858 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally Tuesday from official sources compiled by AFP.

The United States has suffered the most Covid-related deaths with 807,952, followed by Brazil with 617,873, India with 478,007 and Russia with 299,249.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.

 

With inputs from AFP.



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