Pakistan sees sharp rise in Covid cases with over 3,000 new infections

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan reported 3,019 new Covid cases taking the total tally of infections to 1,312,267, National Command and Operation Centre said Thursday.

As per the latest figures, the country reported more than 3,000 new Covid cases after a period of nearly four months. At least 5 people lost their lives amid the fifth wave of the novel coronavirus.

Pakistan's Covid positivity ratio increased to 6.12 percent as the Omicron variant continues to push infection rates. In the alarming trend, the overall toll has now surged to 28,992.

Statistics 13 Jan 22:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 49,270
Positive Cases: 3019
Positivity %: 6.12%
Deaths :5
Patients on Critical Care: 651

— NFRCC (@NFRCCofficial) January 13, 2022

Pakistan conducted a total of 49,270 cases in the last 24 hours. The number of patients in critical care was 651. Around 346 patients have recovered from the virus and the total recoveries stood at 1,260,045.

As many as 491,743 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 449,843 in Punjab, 181,906 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 109,944 in Islamabad, 33,675 in Balochistan, 34,719 in Azad Kashmir, and 10,437 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, 13,084 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 7,691 in Sindh, 5,948 in KP, 967 in Islamabad, 749 in Azad Kashmir, 367 in Balochistan, and 186 in Gilgit Baltistan.

No more lockdowns to curb Covid spread

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has made it clear that Pakistan will not go for lockdown even if the Covid situation turns grim.

Addressing a post-cabinet press conference, he dismissed reports of schools’ closure amid rising cases. It is our resolve that we will not impose a lockdown in Pakistan. Our economy cannot bear the burden of another lockdown, he said.