Coronavirus tally crosses 0.8mn mark; 70 more die

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus claimed 70 more lives in the country, taking the nationwide COVID-19 death toll to 17,187, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday.
As per the NCOC data, 50,161 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, from which 4,825 tests returned positive. The positivity rate of coronavirus in the country stands at 9.61 percent whereas the number of active cases stands at 89,219.
The new cases have taken the national tally of positive cases to 800,452 with 285,542 reported in Punjab, 290,788 in Sindh, 114,077 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 72,613 in Islamabad, 21,743 in Balochistan, 16,591 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 5,258 in Gilgit Baltistan.
Pakistan has overall conducted 11,588,932 tests to diagnose coronavirus in the patients. Some 694,046 people have recovered so far.
In Punjab, at least 2,190 new coronavirus cases were recorded during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 290,788.
According to the Punjab primary and secondary healthcare department, at least 67 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total reached 7,990. The department added that at least 235,669 patients had recovered from the deadly virus as of yet.
In Sindh, at least 727 new coronavirus cases were reported during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 279,271.
According to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, six more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll surged to 4,605. He further said that 343 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 262,639.
Meanwhile, the district administration has imposed micro-smart lockdown in a street of Karachi’s District Central after detection of a case of British variant of coronavirus on Monday. The district administration has notified micro-smart lockdown in the street where British variant case has been reported in a house, from April 26 to May 10.
“The British variant of the virus spreads rapidly,” DC Central said in a statement.
According to the notification, all persons have to wear face masks who are entering or leaving the specific area, whereas, unnecessary movement of the people has also been banned. All business and industrial activities will remain suspended in the area, while the pillion riding has also been banned, said the notification.
All kinds of family gatherings will be banned in the area and the coronavirus-positive persons in the area will be quarantined in their homes. The government will take all possible steps for distribution of ration items among the entitled people in the area, the notification added.
Separately, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Firdous Ashiq Awan is known for the many hats she can wear and she has once again proved her many talents as footage of her administering the COVID-19 jab to a senior citizen in Sialkot went viral. – TLTP