Daily Times

As the country tightened restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus, 44 more people lost lives due to the disease across country on Sunday, taking the overall death toll to 13,843.

The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed the Covid-19 claimed 44 more lives and 3,677 fresh infections were reported during the period. The total count of active cases is 31,107. The positivity ratio was recorded at 8.73 per cent during the past one day. A total of 41,960 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Since the detection of the first Covid-19 case in the country, overall 9,773,993 tests have been conducted so far. At least 2,900 patients are in critical condition across the country, whereas, 2,092 people recovered from the deadly disease during the last 24 hours. Overall 581,852 have regained their health from the Covid-19.

Sindh remains top on the list with 263,058 cases reported in the province so far, followed by Punjab with 197,177 Covid cases so far. Some 79,245 cases have been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 51,414 in Islamabad, 19,327 cases in Balochistan, 11,609 infections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 4,972 cases have been detected in Gilgit Baltistan.

Sindh has reported 232 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the daily update shared by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s office. This has taken the provincial caseload to 263,290. No new deaths from the virus were registered, with the death toll standing at 4,479. According to the update, 8,975 tests were conducted across the province in the 24-hour period, while 146 more people recovered.

Punjab has once again recorded more than 2,000 new cases as 2,090 infections were detected in the province in the last 24 hours, slightly up from yesterday’s 2,033. The provincial caseload now stands at 197,177. Punjab also recorded 30 more deaths from the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 5,974.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and First Lady Bushra Bibi – a day after it was confirmed had tested positive for coronavirus – are feeling “comfortable with mild symptoms”. This was revealed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill on Sunday. In a tweet, the premier’s aide thanked PM Imran Khan’s fans and well-wishers for praying for his quick recovery.

“The prime minister and Bushra Bibi are thankful to you all for your good wishes,” he told followers on the micro-blogging site. Gill revealed in the tweet that the prime minister will continue to perform his official duties via video conference on Monday.

Meanwhile, the teams of Islamabad Capital Territory administration have sealed some 30 restaurants and closed down 660 shops for defying coronavirus related standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the last 24 hours. The authorities imposed over Rs 100,000 fine to the violators by conducting as many as 2000 inspections.