ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded 898 more COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours. According to the latest figures shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), a total of 49,673 samples were tested during this period, out of which 898 turned out to be positive, showing a national positivity rate of 1.8 per cent as compared to yesterday’s 1.42%. The number of deaths from the pandemic has risen to 28,950 after five more patients succumbed to the viral disease in the past 24 hours. The number of COVID-19 patients in critical care in various hospitals across the country stands at 652. Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) had extended the health emergency across the province for three months amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19. According to the notification issued by the provincial government, the health emergency has been extended after an increasing number of Omicron strain cases of the COVID-19. As per the notification, the emergency will remain enforced till March 31.