Pakistan reports 55 more corona deaths, 2,123 infections in a single day

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported 55 deaths and 2,123 new infections throughout the country during the last 24 hours (Tuesday), showed figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday morning.

With the addition of 2,123 fresh infections, the number of positive cases has surged to 508,824.

The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 10,772 on Wednesday with the addition of 55 more deaths. Sindh remained the worst-hit province by the pandemic in terms of cases followed by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad. As many as 228,949 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 146,525 in Punjab 62,018 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 39,462 in Islamabad, 18,467 in Balochistan, 8,521 in Azad Kashmir and 4,882 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Furthermore, 4,323 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Punjab 3,730 in Sindh, 1,748 in KP, 447 in Islamabad, 235 in Azad Kashmir, 188 in Balochistan, and 101 in GB. Pakistan has so far conducted 7,202,076 coronavirus tests and 39,450 in the last 24 hours. 464,950 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas 2,366 patients are in critical condition. Global developmentsHere are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– Oxford vaccine –

AstraZeneca and Oxford University formally apply for EU approval for their Covid-19 vaccine, with a decision expected by January 29.

– Swiss approve Moderna jab –

Switzerland gives the green light to the Moderna vaccine — after being the first country in continental Europe to start using the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.

– Malaysia emergency –

Malaysia’s king declares a nationwide state of emergency and parliament is suspended, with critics saying the measures are a bid by the government to cling to power.

– China seals off city –

Chinese authorities seal off a city of almost five million people and impose strict travel restrictions to quash clusters near Beijing.

– Spain extends UK ban –

Spain extends for another two weeks a ban on people entering from the UK by air or sea because of concerns over the new strain of the coronavirus detected there.

– Dutch curbs extended –

The Netherlands extends coronavirus restrictions until February 9, including the closure of schools and non-essential shops, and a ban on people having more than two people in their homes.

– S.African strain in Germany –

Germany records its first case of the coronavirus variant sweeping South Africa in a member of a family that returned from a lengthy stay in the country in December.

– NYC dearth –

New York City could run out of its Covid-19 vaccine stock “by the end of next week,” Mayor Bill de Blasio says.

– Ukraine calls for help –

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, under pressure for having failed to secure any western-made vaccines, calls on the EU to help source coronavirus jabs.

– Two Malawi ministers dead –

Two senior members of Malawi’s government die of the virus, transport minister Sidik Mia and local government minister Lingson Belekanyama.

– Riot infection –

Three members of the US Congress have test positive, with two saying they believe they were exposed to it during last week’s storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters.

– Certificate call –

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urges the EU to adopt a “standardised” vaccination certificate to boost travel this year.

– More than 1.9 million dead –

The pandemic has killed more than 1,945,437 million people worldwide, according to a tally compiled by AFP using official sources and information from the WHO.

The US is the country most affected with more than 376,283 deaths, followed by Brazil (203,580), India (over 151,327), Mexico (134,368) and Britain (81,960).

– Indian star cleared –

India’s former badminton world number one Saina Nehwal is cleared to play after a false positive Covid-19 result.