The total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Saturday were recorded as 24,938 with 2,165 more positive cases during the last 24 hours. At least 17 patients, who were under treatment in hospitals died, according to the latest update issued by the National command and Operation Centre (NCOC). No Covid-affected person was on ventilator in Balochistan, while 204 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in Pakistan, out of 1,858 allocated for COVID-19 patients. Some 34,535 tests were conducted across the country on Friday, including 10,641 in Sindh, 12,006 in Punjab, 3,736 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 6,267 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 614 in Balochistan, 312 in GB, and 959 in AJK. Around 322,414 people have recovered from the disease so far across the country making it a significant count with over 90 percent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic spread, a total of 354,461 cases were detected so far, including Azad Jammy and Kashmir (AJK) 5,261, Balochistan 16,328, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) 4,434, ICT 23,533, Khaber Pakhtunkhwa 41,723, Punjab 109,309 and Sindh 153,873. About 7,109 deaths were recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion, including 2,722 Sindh among four of them died in hospital on Friday, 2,462 in Punjab seven of them died in hospital on Friday, 1,305 in KP two of them died in hospital on Friday, 253 in Islamabad Capital Territory among three of them died in hospital on Friday, 155 in Balochistan, 93 in GB and 119 in AJK one of them died in hospital on Friday. A total of 4,881,640 corona tests have been conducted so far, while 735 hospitals are equipped with COVID facilities. Some 1,521 corona patients were admitted in hospitals across the country. Senior journalist and private news channel reporter Arshad Waheed Chaudhry passed away on Saturday due to complications caused by the coronavirus. Arshad Waheed Chaudhry had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Islamabad after contracting the deadly virus. He was put on a ventilator after health deteriorated. Earlier in the day, former MQM leader and MNA Farooq Sattar tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Deputy Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Mahmood Jan also tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. Jan made the announcement on Twitter, adding that his wife and son have also contracted the contagious disease. “Me, my wife and my son are covid positive. Please pray for us,” he wrote. At least 865 new cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Sindh, taking the provincial tally to 154,738, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Sixteen more people lost their lives due to the virus, with Sindh’s death toll climbing to 2,738. A total of 13,320 tests were carried out during the last 24 hours in Sindh, showing a positivity rate of 6.5 per cent.