ISLAMABAD: Another 3,559 people in Pakistan have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1,163,688, according to official figures released Wednesday morning.
The country also reported another 101 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Pakistan now stands at 25,889.
The latest data came from the National Command and Operation Centre’s daily report on the status of COVID-19 across the country.
The NCOC data placed the country’s positivity rate at 6.63%. The country has been reporting a positivity rate over 6% for more than 10 days now.
The country’s active number of cases are 93,901.
Pakistan is reporting 4,065 new infections on average each day, 69% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on June 17.
Pakistan has administered at least 53,314,628 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 12.3% of the country’s population.
During the last week reported, Pakistan averaged about 745,808 doses administered each day. At that rate, it will take a further 59 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population.
Pakistan starts vaccinating people aged 17, above against COVID-19
The coronavirus vaccination drive for people aged 17 years or above starts today (September 1) as part of the government’s strategy to contain the spread of the infection.
Earlier, people who were 18 or older were being immunised against coronavirus in the country.
Last week, Umar, the head of the NCOC, and Dr Faisal Sultan, the special assistant to the PM on national health services, regulations, and coordination, announced a slew of new steps and plans to combat COVID-19 cases.
They announced that 17-year-olds will be able to receive coronavirus vaccine shots from September.
They also said Pakistan is preparing to offer inoculations to 15-year-olds and disclosed the government’s vaccine mandates for anybody intending to travel or attend school.
