The number of coronavirus cases officially reported in Pakistan increased to 221,896 after another 4,087 people tested positive for the virus during the past 24 hours, shows the figures released by National Command and Operation Centre on Friday morning.

The same period saw 78 new deaths, raising the overall toll to 4,551 in the country. Most of these latest deaths were recorded in Punjab where 35 people died of the virus while the number reported in Sindh was 31.

Meanwhile, there is some positive news too as the number of people recovering from the infection is now greater than the active cases. There are 103,722 active cases in the country while the number of recoveries stands at 113,623.

On the other hand, 2,479 coronavirus patients are currently in critical condition and being treated in the intensive care units of different hospitals across the country.

As far as the reported cases are concerned, Sindh is the most affected region in the country with the total number of infected people currently standing at 89,225. It is second in terms of deaths with 1,437 patients dying after being infected.

But the pandemic is proving to be deadliest in Punjab where 1,819 people have died so far while 78,956 cases are reported in the province.

The figures for other provinces/ regions are: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 27, 170 cases and 983 deaths, Islamabad 13,195 cases and 129 deaths, Balochistan 10,666 cases and 122 deaths, Gilgit-Baltistan 1,524 cases and 28 deaths, and Azad Kashmir 1,160 cases and 33 deaths.   

The number of tests conducted in the country since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak are also increasing. The figures now stand at 1,350,773 after another 22,941 tests were performed during the past 24 hours.

At the current rate, Pakistan is set to reach another grim milestone within a week as the number of cases recorded in the country would cross the figures reported in Italy. It is also expected to be among the top 10 most-affected countries this month.

Virus situation improving across country except Sindh: Umar

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Friday said that while the country's overall coronavirus situation was getting better, there was a significant lack of improvement in Sindh, particularly in the provincial capital Karachi.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said that the number of deaths, patients admitted to hospitals and patients on ventilators had gone down.

Crediting this development to citizens following precautionary measures to curb the spread of the virus, Umar said if this continues, the country's situation will continue to improve. "However, there is only one area where we are not seeing that much improvement, which is in Sindh, especially Karachi," he said.

He maintained that to address this, the National Command and Operation Centre team held a meeting with the provincial chief secretary and the provincial health minister and was working on a way to replicate the results from the rest of the country in Sindh.

He also urged citizens to remain mindful of the fact that an improvement was only being seen because they were following precautionary measures.

"Don't take this to mean that the pandemic is going away on its own and you can do whatever you want," he cautioned, adding that a lapse in following preventive measures could cause the number of cases to rise again.

"I had earlier warned that our cases could reach 1.2 million by July end if we don't take action or follow preventive measures. But because people are following precautionary measures and the administration is also taking action [...] this number may be less than 400,000."

He concluded his press conference by urging the public to follow doctors' advice with seriousness.

In light of the recommendations made by the district health officer, certain areas in Karachi were placed under a 'smart lockdown' on Friday to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The deputy commissioner of Karachi's Malir district ordered a lockdown of five days, from July 3-7 in "the large(r) public interest and to prevent/slowdown the spread of deadly coronavirus".

Phases I and II of UC-06, Gulshan-i-Hadeed will be sealed and all commercial markets, shopping malls and superstores and markets in the main streets of the area will remain closed, a notification said.

Meanwhile, the Karachi West district commissioner imposed a lockdown in areas of six UCs for two weeks, from July 3-17. The following areas will be sealed:

Gulshan-i-Maymar blocks X, Y and Z, UC-5 Songal, Gadap

Docks & Majeed Colony, UC-3, Kemari

Saedabad blocks 5G, 5J and A3, UC-5, Baldia

UC-4 Metroville blocks 1-5, SITE

UC-11 Data Nagar, Area A/B, Orangi

UC-12 Mujahid Colony (Millatabad, Gulfamabad and Aligarh Colony), Orangi

Similarly, the Karachi South district deputy commissioner also announced a complete lockdown in Civil Lines, Garden, Arambagh, Lyari and Saddar for two weeks, from July 3-17.

According to the notification, the following areas will be sealed:

All commercial areas in Khayaban-i-Rahat, Civil Lines

Block 4, Clifton, Civil Lines

All localities in Bath Island

Block 5, Clifton, Civil Lines (all the areas between Khayaban-e-Saadi and Khayaban-e-lqbal and between Bank Road and Neher-e-Khayyam, including all businesses)

Khori Garden Market, Kharadar, Arambagh

Machi Miyani Market, Kharadar, Arambagh

All the commercial areas of Jeelani Masjid Road, Garden

All the commercial areas of Hari Masjid Road, Nanakwara, Garden

Doli Khata, Garden

Shoe Market, Garden

Madni Road, Lyari

Mosa Lane, Lyari

With inputs from INP