Pakistan reports less than 10 virus-related deaths for first time since November 2020

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

Pakistan has recorded a positivity ratio of less than 2 per cent for the last nine days as a downward COVID-19 trajectory continues. The infection rate in the last 24 hours remained 1.35 per cent.

However, Pakistan has reported nine coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, marking the first time the country recorded less than 10 daily fatalities in almost a year.

The country had last reported less than 10 fatalities on Nov.8, 2020, when nine fatalities were confirmed.

In the last 24 hours, the highest number of deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — five — followed by three in Sindh and one in Punjab. Deaths have stayed below the 50-mark since Oct.5.

According to data shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 43,522 tests for coronavirus were conducted across the country in a single day out of which results of 591 people came back positive.

With the latest figures, the overall count of infected persons since the outbreak of the pandemic has reached 1,268,536 while the number of casualties has risen to 28,377.

The data further revealed that the number of active cases was also dropping, with 23,917 calculated.

The figure of active patients had fallen below the 25,000 mark earlier this week after more than seven months. Similarly, the daily count of infections has also reduced to its lowest level.

On the other hand, the recovery rate among patients has been rising, with 1,216,242 people having defeated the virus till date. As per data, 100,016,587 doses of vaccines have been administered.

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had also urged partially vaccinated people to get completely inoculated at the earliest.

A few days ago, Umar, who also heads the NCOC, called on the district administrations of Karachi, Hyderabad, Nowshera, Faisalabad, Quetta, Mingora and Mardan to expedite immunisation to avoid the fifth wave.

"To ensure there is no 5th wave of COVID-19 we have to meet vaccination targets set. Otherwise despite sharp decline in cases we remain vulnerable, if the number of people remain unvaccinated. Remember that the 2nd dose is vital for protection against COVID. Get fully vaccinated,” the minister had tweeted.

The Punjab government, meanwhile, will be launching its door-to-door immunisation drive from Tuesday to meet its 100 per cent vaccination target.

A notification issued by the provincial government said the campaign would continue till Nov 12 and the residents of Punjab’s 36 districts would be inoculated at their doorsteps during this period.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan announced that over 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in less than nine months.

In a video statement, he claimed that the pace of vaccination had risen and in the current month alone, up to one million doses were being administered on a daily basis.