KARACHI: The coronavirus claimed 52 more lives in the country during the past 24 hours, lifting the countrywide death toll from the disease to 10,461.
According to the latest update shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), as many as 2,118 more people tested positive for the infection during this period, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 492,694.
There are a total of 37,740 active cases of the coronavirus while the number of recovered patients stands at 444,360. Over 2,000 patients are under treatment in critical condition.
In Karachi, another doctor succumbed to the coronavirus. The deceased Dr. Anjum Saleem was a gynaecologist at a private hospital and been undergoing treatment for the past several days.
In December 2020, at least three doctors had lost their lives battling with the novel coronavirus in Karachi. According to the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), 155 doctors have lost their lives due to the virus in the country.
During the second wave which started in November, 45 doctors have lost their lives (16 in Punjab, 14 in Sindh, 13 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Azad Jammu and Kashmir).
According to the Health Ministry, 10,925 healthcare workers have contracted the COVID-19, including 6,791 doctors and 1,360 nurses and 2,774 hospital staff.
Yesterday, the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan allowed the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination to purchase COVID-19 vaccine on an emergency basis to save precious human lives. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan briefed the cabinet on the current COVID-19 situation in Pakistan.
