Pakistan recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths – 48 – in the last 24 hours, since October 7, 2021, taking the overall death toll to 29,420, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) data showed Friday morning.
The graph indicates a consistent increase in hospitalizations, with 1,618 patients in critical care, but the positivity rate has remained below 10% for the fourth consecutive day. The number of new cases in the last 24 hours stands at 6,377 after 1,513,619 diagnostic tests were conducted, placing Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity ratio at 9.94%.The new infections placed Pakistan’s confirmed case count at 1,448,663, while the active case count clocked in at 101,858.
Earlier this week, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan asked the public to stop being lazy and get a booster shot if they have not already, as Pakistan continues its battle against the Omicron-driven fifth COVID-19 wave. He had urged people to get their COVID-19 booster shots if six months had passed since they got their second vaccination dose.
“Scientific data has shown that people need an additional dose of the vaccine despite being fully vaccinated for protection against COVID-19 if six months and over have passed,” Dr Sultan had said while addressing a press conference after attending a meeting at the NCOC in Islamabad. He had said that earlier the NCOC was only asking people to get the booster dose, but now it is recommending it again based on scientific evidence. The Health Ministry revealed that Pakistan has hit a new vaccination milestone with over 180 million vaccines having been administered.
The office of Dera Ismail Khan Deputy Commissioner Friday closed three schools in the district due to increase in corona cases there. According to a notification, the Working Folks Grammar School and College Dera Division, Government High Secondary School Muryali and Government Middle School Kulachi have been closed due to concerning increase in the corona cases among students and faculty members of the schools.
It said the three schools would remain closed for five days and faculty members have been directed to get vaccinated as unvaccinated staff will not be allowed entry in the school premises.
