The Covid-19 positivity ratio took another plunge as Pakistan recorded 65 deaths and 2,724 coronavirus infections during the last 24 hours (Tuesday), showed the figures of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday morning. 

As per the latest NCOC data, after the addition of 2,724 new infections the number of total positive cases has now surged to 908,576. The countrywide tally of fatalities has jumped to 20,465 after adding the 65 new deaths.

Pakistan has conducted 59,076 tests during the past 24 hours (Tuesday) out of which 2,724 persons were tested positive for the disease. The Covid positivity ratio was recorded at 4.61 percent.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1397382048646582279

During the past 24 hours (Tuesday), as many as 4,686 patients have recovered from the virus while the total recoveries stood at 827,843. As of Wednesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 60,268, while the positivity rate was recorded at 4.61 percent.

As many as 311,766 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 311,766 in Punjab, 130,644 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 80,662 in Islamabad, 24,733 in Balochistan, 18,940 in Azad Kashmir and 5,516 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 9,875 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab, 4,942 in Sindh, 3,990 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 748 in Islamabad, 532 in Azad Kashmir, 271 in Balochistan and 107 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Punjab: Authorities reported 36 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 9,875. The province now has 336,315 confirmed cases; it reported 738 new infections after conducting 25,245 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.92 percent. There were 1,879 new recoveries recorded, leaving 304,752 fully recovered, and 21,688 active cases of the virus.

Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 311,766; it reported 1,209 new infections after administering 18,132 tests, a positivity ratio of 6.67 percent. The province reported 6 deaths, raising toll to 4,942, while its recoveries rose by 1,273 to 283,683. Overall, the province now has 23,141 active cases of the novel coronavirus.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: During the past 24 hours (Tuesday), the provincial government recorded 457 new infections after conducting 7,859 tests, a positivity ratio of 5.8 percent. Overall, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 130,644. It recorded 20 new deaths and 1,047 recoveries, raising toll to 3,990 and recoveries to 121,033. There are currently 5,621 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Balochistan: The province raised its confirmed cases to 24,733 with 95 new infections after administering 1,410 tests for a positivity ratio of 6.7 percent. There was 1 death and 44 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 271 fatalities and 23,472 fully recovered. There are now 990 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Islamabad: The federal capital raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 133 to 80,662 after conducting 4,961 tests, a positivity ratio of 2.68 percent. There were 2 deaths and 330 recoveries recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving 748 casualties; 72,739 recovered; and 7,175 active cases.

GB: Gilgit-Baltistan recorded 4 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 459 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.87 percent; it now has 5,516 confirmed cases. The region reported no new deaths and 1 recovery, leaving 107 fatalities and 5,301 fully recovered people. There are currently 108 active cases of COVID-19 in the region.

AJK: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 88 to 18,940 after administering 1,010 tests, a positivity ratio of 8.7 percent. There were no deaths and 112 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 532 fatalities and 16,863 fully recovered. It now has 1,545 active cases of COVID-19.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Jabs for adolescents -

US biotech firm Moderna says that trials have shown its Covid-19 vaccine is "highly effective" in adolescents aged 12-17 and it will seek regulators' approval in June.

- Half US adults jabbed -

Half of all US adults will have received full Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday, the White House says.

President Joe Biden has set a target of having 70 percent of adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4. The current figure is almost 62 percent.

- Few 'breakthrough' cases -

About 0.01 percent of people who have been fully vaccinated became infected with Covid-19 between January and April, a US government study confirming the shots' high efficacy shows.

- Origin probe call -

The United States leads calls at the World Health Organization for a more in-depth probe of the pandemic origins, after an international mission to China earlier this year proved inconclusive.

- Olympics still going ahead -

A new US travel warning for Japan over virus risks will not affect this summer's pandemic-postponed Olympic Games, the Japanese government and Tokyo 2020 organisers say.

- EU travel pass -

EU leaders back a Covid pass that they hope will unlock tourist travel in July with half of the bloc's inhabitants soon to have at least one vaccine shot.

- Returned vaccines -  

South Sudan will return 72,000 doses of donated Covid-19 vaccines after concluding it cannot administer them before they expire, a health ministry official says.

- 3.4 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,475,079 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 590,574 deaths, followed by Brazil with 449,858, India with 307,231, Mexico with 221,695 and Britain with 127,724.

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

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

 

With inputs from AFP.