Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s daily coronavirus case load remained above 1,500 for the fourth day in a row after reporting 1,828 new cases on Saturday.

Another 35 people died of coronavirus in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 22,555 since the outbreak began.

According to the latest data released by the National Command and Operation Centre on Saturday morning, 1,828 people tested positive for coronavirus after 48,134 tests were conducted on July 9.

With a current rate of 3.79 percent, Pakistan’s positivity rate is approaching 4%.

In Pakistan, there are currently 36,454 active COVID-19 cases.

According to a province-by-province breakdown, 345,269 cases have been reported in Sindh, 347,793 in Punjab, 139,162 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 83,513 in Islamabad Capital Territory, 27,863 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 6,769 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

At least 912,295 people have recovered so far across Pakistan, making it a significant count.

In the event of a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar has dismissed the possibility of a complete lockdown.

According to NCOC’s figures, the total number of cases has reached 971,304.

The minister, speaking at the inauguration of the newly appointed members of the National Youth Council (NYC), predicted that the virus’s fourth wave would begin in July.

Umar said that if cases of the virus resurface, Pakistan will impose smart lockdowns across the country, as it has in the past, to combat the virus. He went on to say that the strategy had previously been successful in halting the virus’s spread.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier this week urged people to follow the government’s COVID-19 standard operating procedures on Eid Ul Adha to keep the virus at bay.