Pakistan confirms 32 more coronavirus deaths, 1,877 infections in a single day

F.P. Report           

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has posted 32 more deaths and 1,877 infections by the novel coronavirus during the last 24 hours as the number of positive cases has surged to 504,293. The nationwide fatalities toll has jumped to 10,676, showed the latest figures released by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Monday. Sindh remained the worst-hit province by the pandemic in terms of cases followed by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.

As many as 226,338 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 145,508 in Punjab 61,424 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 39,242 in Islamabad, 18,412 in Balochistan, 8,489 in Azad Kashmir and 4,880 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Furthermore, 4,272 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab 3,699 in Sindh, 1,740 in KP, 441 in Islamabad, 235 in Azad Kashmir, 188 in Balochistan, and 101 in GB. Pakistan has so far conducted 7,122,538 coronavirus tests and 34,524 in the last 24 hours. 458,371 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas 2,286 patients are in critical condition. Punjab: On Monday, authorities reported 12 deaths due to the coronavirus, raising total casualties to 4,272. The province now has 145,508 confirmed cases; it reported 599 new infections after conducting 13,396 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.47 percent.

There were 238 new recoveries recorded, leaving 130,358 fully recovered, and 10,878 active cases of the virus. Sindh: Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh have now climbed to 226,338; it reported 829 new infections on Monday after conducting 10,571 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.84 percent. The province reported 6 new deaths, raising toll to 3,699, while its recoveries rose by 747 to 204,075. Overall, the province now has 18,564 active cases of the novel coronavirus. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:

In the past 24 hours, the provincial government has recorded 276 new infections after conducting 5,798 tests, a positivity ratio of 4.76 percent. Overall, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s confirmed cases have climbed to 61,424. It recorded 12 new deaths, raising toll to 1,740, while its recoveries have risen by 296 to 56,535. There are currently 3,149 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Balochistan:

The province on Monday raised its confirmed cases to 18,412 with 39 new infections after conducting 537 tests, a positivity ratio of 7.26 percent. There were no deaths and 39 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 188 fatalities and 17,938 fully recovered.

There are now 286 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Islamabad: Islamabad on Monday raised its confirmed coronavirus cases by 122 to 39,242 after conducting 3,546 tests; a positivity ratio of 3.44 percent. There were 2 deaths and 60 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 441 casualties; 36,765 recovered; and 2,036 active cases.

Gilgit Baltistan: Gilgit Baltistan reported one new case of the novel coronavirus on Monday after conducting 349 tests, a positivity ratio of 0.27 percent. It now has 4,880 confirmed cases. The region reported no deaths and five recoveries, leaving 101 fatalities and 4,734 fully recovered people.

There are currently 45 active cases of COVID-19 in the region. Azad Kashmir: In Azad Kashmir, confirmed cases rose by 11 to 8,489 after conducting 327 tests, a positivity ratio of 3.36 percent. There were no deaths and 17 recoveries in the past 24 hours, leaving 235 fatalities and 7,966 fully recovered. It now has 288 active cases of COVID-19. Global developmentsHere are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– German virus deaths top 40,000 –

The total number of Germany’s coronavirus deaths crosses 40,000 Sunday, as Chancellor Angela Merkel warns that worse is to come. In her weekly video message Saturday, Merkel said the full impact of socialising over the Christmas and New Year’s period was yet to show up in the statistics.

– Belgium virus deaths pass 20,000 –

Coronavirus deaths in Belgium pass 20,000, health officials say Sunday, with more than half the victims from retirement care homes. The country of 11.5 million people has one of the highest death rates from the pandemic in the world, with 1,725 per 100,000 people, according to an AFP tally.

– More than 1.9 million people dead worldwide –

The pandemic has killed more than 1.9 million people worldwide, according to a tally compiled by AFP using official sources and information from the World Health Organization (WHO). The United States is the country most affected with more than 372,000 deaths, followed by Brazil (more than 202,000), India (over 150,000), Mexico (over 132,000) and the United Kingdom (over 80,000).

– $1bn raised for ‘vulnerable’ countries –

Britain says it has helped raise $1 billion (818 million euros) from global donors to help “vulnerable countries” access coronavirus vaccines, by match-funding contributions from other countries. It has also committed £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), says Britain’s Foreign Office.

– Czechs seek Israeli help –

With daily cases at record rates, Czech President Milos Zeman says he has asked Israel “for help with organising the vaccination campaign because Israel is absolutely perfect at that”, having already vaccinated 1.5 million people. His appeal comes as thousands spill into central Prague to protest against an ongoing vaccination campaign and tight government anti-virus restrictions.

– France extends curfew restrictions –

France extends its longer overnight curfew restrictions to eight more departments from Sunday, including second city Marseille, after a family cluster of the mutation identified in the UK is found.

– Quebec starts overnight curfew –

The Canadian province of Quebec starts an overnight 8-5 curfew to try to curb the spread of the virus. One on this scale has not been ordered in Canada since a devastating flu swept the globe a century ago, according to historians.

– Vaccine scepticism ‘suicidal denial’, says pope  –

Pope Francis urges people to get the vaccination, calling opposition to the jab “suicidal denial” and saying he will get inoculated next week. “There is a suicidal denial which I cannot explain, but today we have to get vaccinated,” the pontiff says in segments from an interview with Canale 5 to be broadcast in full on Sunday.

– UK vaccines for all adults by autumn –

Britain’s government said it hoped to vaccinate all adults in the country by autumn, having so far suffered Europe’s worst toll with over 80,000 dead.