ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded 3,313 new COVID-19 cases and 54 deaths due to the virus in the last 24 hours, making it the third consecutive day that over three thousand cases have been reported.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the total number of cases now currently stands at 389,311, whereas there are 45,533 active cases.
In the past 24 hours, 54 more people succumbed to the disease, taking the death toll to 7,897. A further 2,112 patients are in critical condition while 1,489 patients have recovered from the virus in the last day.
A total of 43,214 tests were conducted across the country during this period. 335,881 people have recovered from the deadly disease while 5,386,916 samples have been tested so far.
Sindh has the highest number of coronavirus cases with 168,783 followed by Punjab which has recorded 117,610. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 46,281, Balochistan has 17,008 while Islamabad has 28,980 cases. Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have reported 6,501 and 4,598 cases respectively.
At least 1,402 more people contracted coronavirus in Sindh during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 168,783. This is the highest number of recorded cases in the province in a single day since July 12 when 1,715 people were infected with the contagion.
At least 19 more people died due to the virus as the death toll reached 2,885. As many as 749 patients recovered from the disease, taking the total to 148,313.
Nevertheless, the Sindh government has allowed markets to remain open till 8PM instead of 6PM after traders refused to follow the earlier directives.
“This is to inform that markets in #Sindh will remain open till 8 PM. It is again expected from the market associations, shop owners and citizens that due regard to SOPs shall be observed & everyone including the shopkeeper and visitor shall wear a mask,” Sindh government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab wrote on Twitter.
The business community had called on the provincial government to end the practice of sealing businesses over violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
