Wednesday proved to be one of the deadliest days for Pakistan since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak as 111 people died of the infection, raising the death toll to 9,668, showed the latest data released by National Command and Operation Centre on Thursday morning.

With 51 coronavirus patients losing their lives, it was Punjab where most of these latest deaths were recorded. It was followed by 40 in Sindh, 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four in Islamabad and two in Balochistan.

The second wave of coronavirus pandemic is claiming more lives in Pakistan although the number of cases reported daily in the country are nowhere near the over 6,000 mark recorded earlier in June.

Unfortunately, Punjab is experiencing the brunt in terms of deaths with 3,783 patients dying of the coronavirus so far. The corresponding figures for other provinces/regions are: Sindh 3,419, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1,577, Islamabad 398, Azad Kashmir 211, Balochistan 181 and Gilgit-Baltistan 99.

On the other hand, 2,256 cases coronavirus were cases reported Wednesday after which the overall number reached 465,070. In Sindh, another 918 people were diagnosed with the virus while the daily count for Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad stood at 695, 349 and 238.

Hence, the region-wise distribution of the reported coronavirus cases in given as: Sindh 207,407, Punjab 133,874, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 56,160, Islamabad 36,721, Balochistan 18,005, Azad Kashmir 8,065 and Gilgit-Baltistan 4,838.

As far as the closed cases are concerned, the number has reached 426,802 as 417,134 people have so far fully recovered from the infection with 9,668 patients dying of the virus.

It means there are 38,268 active cases in the country with the majority of them having been isolated at their homes or other places for having mild symptoms. However, 2,878 of infected persons are currently hospitalised with 2,361 of them in a critical condition and thus admitted in intensive care units. Out of these, 329 patients have been placed on ventilators.

Global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- UK-France border reopens -

Cross-border travel between Britain and France resumes but only for EU residents and lorry, bus and train drivers following a snap 48-hour ban to curb the spread of the new virus strain.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says those travelling for "urgent reasons" will be allowed to cross the Channel provided they have a certified negative Covid-19 test.

- Britain curbs South Africa travel -

Britain introduces restrictions on travel from South Africa over the spread of another "highly concerning" new variant of coronavirus.

- Canada approves Moderna vaccine -

Canada becomes the second country after the US to approve the vaccine developed by American biotech firm Moderna, two weeks after authorising immunisations with the Pfizer/BioNTech shot.

- US buys 100 million jabs -

The United States purchases an additional 100 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, bringing the current US supply to 400 million doses -- half from Pfizer and half from Moderna.

- Vaccines rolled out -

Switzerland, Dubai and Qatar start their vaccine rollouts, using the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

Mexico also receives its first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, a day before the planned start of immunisations.

- Austria's school masks overturned -

Austria's Constitutional Court overturns two government measures to force mask-wearing in schools and splitting classes into two halves to be taught in alternate shifts.

- Indian state sets curfew -

India's Karnataka state, home to the nation's vibrant technology hub Bangalore, follows Maharashtra, home to the financial capital Mumbai, in imposing a night curfew in a bid to stave off the new strain sweeping Britain.

- 1.7 million dead -

At least 1,718,209 people have died since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP.