Another 44 people died of Covid coronavirus whereas 1,052 were infected during the last 24 hours (Thursday) across Pakistan, showed the figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday morning.

As per the latest NCOC data, after the addition of 44 more deaths the toll now has surged to 22,154 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 951,987 after adding 1,052 fresh ones.

During the past 24 hours (Thursday), 1,013 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 897,834.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1408240507092930560

As of Friday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 32,921, while the positivity rate stood at 2.29 percent.

As many as 334,453 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 345,546 in Punjab, 137,484 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 82,502 in Islamabad, 26,893 in Balochistan, 20,121 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 5,908 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 10,700 individuals have so far lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 5,392 in Sindh, 4,294 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 775 in Islamabad, 576 in Azad Kashmir, 304 in Balochistan, and 111 in Gilgit Baltistan.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the global developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- 'Worst yet' -

The World Health Organization warns that the coronavirus third wave threatens to be Africa's "worst yet".

"The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder," the UN body's Africa director Matshidiso Moeti says, adding the Delta variant has been reported in 14 countries on the continent.

- Russia's Delta spike -

Reaching highs last hit in January, Russia reports more than 20,000 new infections and 568 deaths as the country battles a surging outbreak of the Delta variant worsened by a sluggish jab drive.

- British travel easing? - 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hints that travel rules might be eased, saying there is a "real opportunity" for double vaccinated Britons this summer.

- Brain impact -

The coronavirus can infect brain cells, leading to a reaction that could possibly trigger neurological and psychological complaints, Dutch research published in the US-based mSphere microbiology journal says.

- Portugal maintains curbs -

Portugal says it is halting the gradual lifting of its lockdown curbs, and even tightening them in the capital Lisbon, as it faces a resurgence of cases of the Delta variant.

- Euro 2020 infections -

Three Denmark fans were infected with the Delta coronavirus variant while attending the Euro 2020 match against Belgium, Danish health authorities say, urging 4,000 spectators to get tested.

- Jab drive slows -

Prime Minister Jean Castex urges more French people to get their first Covid vaccine dose, acknowledging that fewer people are signing up for slots as the summer holidays approach.

- Stones eatery closes -

Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman says he has been forced to shut his Sticky Fingers London restaurant after 32 years because of the pandemic.

- Almost 3.9 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,893,974 people since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 602,837 deaths, followed by Brazil with 507,109, India with 391,981 Mexico with 231,847 and Peru with 191,073.

The figures are based on reports by health authorities in each country, but do not take into account upward revisions carried out later by statistical bodies. 

The WHO says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.

With inputs from AFP.