Pakistan on Wednesday reported 17 more deaths by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases surged to 285,924. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 6,136. According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 730 persons tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. Sindh remains the worst-hit province by the pandemic in terms of cases followed by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad. Till now, 124,929 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 94,715 in Punjab, 34,859 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 15,296 in Islamabad, 11,956 in Balochistan, 2,157 in Azad Kashmir and 2,382 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Furthermore 2,290 individuals have lost their lives to the epidemic in Sindh, 2,177 in Punjab, 1,235 in KP, 138 in Balochistan, 172 in Islamabad, 58 in GB and 59 in Azad Kashmir. Pakistan has so far conducted 2,186,442 coronavirus tests, with 20,631 in the last 24 hours. As many as 263,193 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country, whereas 785 patients are in a critical condition. Sindh Wednesday reported 373 coronavirus cases and seven deaths. In a statement, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that 7,870 tests had been conducted during the past 24 hours. With the new cases, the total has risen to 124,929 while the death toll is 2,297. The chief minister added that another 335 patients had also recovered during this period. Punjab reported 129 coronavirus cases and three deaths during the past 24 hours, according to the government’s Covid-19 portal. The provincial total has risen to 94,715 while the death toll is 2,177. The Punjab government has closed down Covid-19 wards in three government-run hospitals in Rawalpindi, leaving the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) the dedicated facility for patients of the disease following a reported decrease in cases. All the filter clinics and wards for Covid-19 patients at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and the District Headquarters Hospital have been closed. Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have collectively reported 33 coronavirus cases and two deaths during the last 24 hours. According to the government’s Covid-19 portal, the capital reported 15 cases and one death, GB reported 11 cases and one death, while AJK reported seven cases. Pakistan has reported 1,947 coronavirus recoveries during the past 24 hours, according to the government’s portal for tracking the spread of the virus in the country. With the new recoveries, the tally has risen to 263,193.