ISLAMABAD: At least 57 people succumbed to coronavirus across Pakistan during the last 24 hours, raising the national death tally to 20,308.
According to the official data provided by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the country conducted 58,670 coronavirus tests in the last 24 hours, out of which 3,060 returned positive. The total coronavirus caseload stands at 903,599 whereas the positivity ratio in Pakistan was recorded at 5.21 percent. In addition to this, 820,374 people have recovered from the virus in the country so far.
Punjab reported 802 coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours at just over 3.5 per cent positivity ratio, taking the tally to 334,760.
According to health officials, 16 more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll jumped to 9,784. As many as 301,609 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far.
Sindh reported at least 910 new coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 310,540. According to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, 16 more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll jumped to 4,936. As many as 814 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 282,410.
At least 2o more patients died from Covid-19 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, taking the fatalities to 3,970. As per health authorities, the province reported 304 new cases as the tally jumped to 130,187. As many as 255 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 119,986.
Meanwhile, educational and tourist activities were restored in several parts of the country on Monday following the NCOC’s fresh directives to ease restrictions imposed in view of the Covid situation.
In light of the NCOC’s directives, educational and tourism-related activities were restored in 16 districts of Punjab, 21 of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and all districts of Balochistan, except Quetta, with strict adherence to SOPs. However, restrictions continue to be imposed in Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Sindh.
On May 19, after reviewing the Covid situation in the country, the NCOC announced reopening outdoor restaurants, educational institutions and other sectors in districts where the positivity ratio was less than five per cent. According to the command centre, educational institutes in districts where the positivity ratio is below five per cent have been reopened. Those that have not yet been reopened will resume activities from June 7, while Matric and Intermediate exams will be held after June 20, it added.
The Covid-19 pandemic is being perpetuated by a “scandalous inequity” in vaccine distribution, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.
Meanwhile, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing its annual ministerial assembly, urged countries to donate vaccine doses to the COVAX mechanism to inoculate 10% of populations of all countries by September, and 30% by year-end.
Tedros also called on vaccine manufacturers to give COVAX the first right of refusal on new volumes of vaccines, or to commit 50% of their volumes to COVAX this year. – TLTP