Pakistan Reports the Highest Cases Since the Virus’s Breakout

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said on Friday that the existing Covid-related limitations would be extended until February 15 after the country reported 8,183 instances of coronavirus on Friday, the biggest number in a single day since the epidemic hit Pakistan in February 2020.

On January 20, this year, the country reported the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in a single day, with 7,678 cases. On June 13, 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 epidemic in Pakistan, the maximum number of people infected with the virus in a single day was 6,825 people.
The NCOC said in a tweet that existing non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) that were in place until January 31 had been extended till February 15. According to the notice, a new evaluation will be conducted on February 10. It further stated that all federating units should make notices and distribute them to all affected parties as soon as possible.

In a separate tweet, the NCOC recommended people to receive a booster dosage of the critical virus vaccine. “The Omicron variation continues to spread across the country. Please make sure you’re completely vaccinated, have got a booster dose (if applicable), and are following SOPs, which include mask-wearing and social distance. Take extra precautions with the elderly, as their admissions and fatality rates are higher,” it stated.

With 68,624 tests taken in the last 24 hours, the national positive rate increased to 11.92 percent. On Friday, there were thirty deaths recorded. The number of active cases has risen to 98,221, with 961 patients in critical care, according to the NCOC.

Peshawar had the highest positivity rate in the country on Friday, with 29.65 percent, followed by 27.92 percent in Karachi, 26.40 percent in Muzaffarabad, 22.73 percent in Mardan, 20.59 percent in Hyderabad, 20.58 percent in Lahore, 18.23 percent in Gilgit, 17.13 percent in Islamabad, 17.01 percent in Nowshera, 12.93 percent in Abbottabad, 11.21 percent in Swabi, and 11.04 percent in Mirpur

The most deaths were reported in Sindh in the last 24 hours, with 20 persons killed, followed by six in Punjab, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one in Gilgit-Baltistan.

So far, 1,402,070 coronavirus cases have been reported, including 29,192 fatalities. Another 1,786 persons have recovered from coronavirus, bringing the total number of people who have recovered to 1,274,657.

In the meantime, the Ministry of National Health Services is urging individuals to get vaccinated and wear face masks. “We are seeing a huge spike in the number of Covid-19 cases this month as the Omicron version surges,” it said.

As part of new limitations aimed to combat the fifth wave, the NCOC outlawed indoor meetings, marriages, and eating in districts and cities with a positive rate of over 10% earlier this week.

Pakistan has also distributed booster dosages to the public. Previously, those over the age of 30 and immunocompromised people over the age of 12 might receive a booster dosage. The NCOC later relaxed the age restriction, enabling citizens above the age of 18 to get booster shots.