With another 63 dying of the coronavirus during the past 24 hours (Friday), the death toll in Pakistan reached 9,816 as the country witnessed a significant decrease in the daily count when compared with the recent days.

According to the data released by the National Command and Operation Centre on Saturday morning, 2,260 people tested positive for the virus during the same period, raising the overall number to 469,482.

Most of these latest cases were again detected in Sindh with the coronavirus found in another 915 persons followed by 796 in Punjab.

The region-wise distribution of the coronavirus cases now stands at: Sindh 209,429, Punjab 135,141, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 56,875, Islamabad 36,981, Balochistan 18,061, Azad Kashmir 8,148 and Gilgit-Baltistan 4,847.

When it comes to the deaths reported on Friday, 27 patients died in Punjab, 22 in Sindh, 11 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two in Islamabad and one in Azad Kashmir.

Hence, the overall deaths-related figures for different provinces/regions are: Punjab 3,858, Sindh 3,462, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1,596, Islamabad 404, Azad Kashmir 214, Balochistan 181 and Gilgit-Baltistan 101.

On the other hand, there are 39,177 active cases in the country with the majority of them having been isolated at their homes or other places for having mild symptoms. However, 2,357 infected persons are in a critical condition and thus admitted in intensive care units of different hospitals with 316 of them placed on ventilators. 

Meanwhile, the number of closed cases in Pakistan reached 430,405 as 420,489 people have so far fully recovered from the infection with 9,816 patients dying of the virus.

But efforts are also underway to identify, trace and isolate the infected persons to reduce the further spread of the coronavirus. Thus, the past 24 hours saw 36,909 tests being administered across the country, increasing the overall number to 6,523,842.

Global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Lockdown Christmas -

The world prepares for an unprecedented Christmas, with millions from Australia, the Philippines and Bethlehem in the West Bank to Europe forced to cancel plans or limit festivities under fresh virus lockdowns.

- China, Brazil suspend UK flights -

China suspends flights to and from Britain, while Brazil suspends flights from Britain, adding to the list of some 50 countries imposing travel bans or restrictions on the country after it reported a new more infectious strain of the virus.

- UK-France border backlog -

Rail and sea links between the UK and France will stay open over Christmas to clear the backlog of thousands of trucks stranded by a French ban, with the French sending 10,000 kits to test lorry drivers in the English port of Dover.

However, the French interior ministry says that limits on travel from the UK will continue "until at least January 6".

- German new strain case -

Germany records its first case of the mutant coronavirus variant sweeping Britain, after a woman who flew in from London tests positive for the strain.

- Vaccines roll out -

Hard-hit Mexico starts a mass coronavirus vaccination programme, with a nurse first to be shown receiving the jab.

Serbia, Chile, Costa Rica and Kuwait also start giving shots.

- More deaths from strain -

The new variant is likely to boost hospitalisations and deaths from Covid next year, according to a study by the Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

- Macron no symptoms -

French President Emmanuel Macron is free of symptoms, his office says, a week after he tested positive and went into self-isolation.

- Austria slopes open -

Austria allows its more than 400 ski stations to open, just two days before the country enters its third nationwide lockdown.

As an outdoor sport, the government says skiing is safe if sufficient precautions are taken.

- Israel lockdown looms -

Israel says it will announce a third national lockdown from 5 pm (1500 GMT) on Sunday for two weeks.

Israelis will be barred from travelling more than one kilometre from their homes and businesses will be closed except for deliveries.

- Cuban doctors for Panama -

A group of 220 Cuban health care professionals arrives in Panama, the worst affected country in Central America, despite objections from the United States.

- 1.73 million dead -

At least 1,731,936 people have died since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP. 

The United States is the worst-affected country with 326,232 deaths, followed by Brazil with 189,220, India with 146,756, Mexico with 120,311, and Italy with 70,395. 

 

With inputs from AFP.