Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Amid a record-breaking surge in the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan on Saturday reported 6,472 new virus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day tally ever, the Health Ministry said.
With another single-day tally of over 6,000 – the second in the last two days – the country’s total coronavirus cases have reached 135,702, of which nearly 50,000 were reported this month alone.
Another 98 patients lost their lives due to Covid-19 across the country, bringing the death toll from the deadly virus to 2,593, while 40,247 patients have successfully recovered and been discharged from hospitals, according to the Health Ministry.
The report showed that death ratio in confirmed cases also rose to 2%, from 1.7% earlier, while recoveries also climbed from 20% to 32%. The data show that most deaths occurred in patients between the age of 60 and 69, at a rate of nearly 30%.
The province-wise tally of Covid-19 patients stands at 50,087 cases in Punjab, 51,518 in Sindh, 17,450 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 7866 in Balochistan, 1,044 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 7,163 in Islamabad and 574 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
At least 19 more people have died from the novel coronavirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, bringing the Covid-19 death toll in the province to 661.
According to the statics released by the provincial health department, a total of 1,035 new cases of coronavirus were reported during the past 24 hours, making the total count of the infected people in the province 17,450.
According to the national dashboard, 2,705 new cases were reported in Punjab, 464 in the federal capital and 40 new cases in AJK. The Punjab reported 48 deaths, Islamabad 11 and AJK one new death in the last 24 hours. Punjab has become the first province to cross 50,000 coronavirus cases. Islamabad has also reported six additional fatalities from the virus while GB and AJK have recorded one death each.
Authorities have identified and sealed off nearly 1,300 coronavirus hotspots across the country on Saturday to contain the rising trajectory of new infections. Some residential areas were also sealed in the capital, Islamabad, to contain the spread of the virus.
The capital administration sealed two sub-sectors in G-9 from Friday night after the number of Covid-19 cases there reached 300.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said the decision was taken in response to the District Health Office’s recommendation to seal G-9/2 and G-9/3 along with the sector’s markaz, commonly known as Karachi Company. People will not be allowed out of their homes during the lockdown except to buy essentials, Shafqaat had said.“All activities, including weddings, events and gatherings, majalis and mosques will be suspended.” The police, army and Rangers have been asked to cordon off these areas in order to ensure public safety and contain the spread of the Sindh has reported 2,262 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. With the latest update, Sindh’s Covid-19 case tally has risen to 51,518. Moreover, 23 more people died from the virus, taking the provincial death toll to 816. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reported 2,262 cases, taking the provincial tally to 51,518.
