Despite increased tests, most corona indicators are steady in Pakistan

Despite gradual increase in the number of everyday tests, all the coronavirus indicators in Pakistan remained steady as the country registered another 228 infections and three deaths during the during the last 24 hours (Saturday), showed the statistics released by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Sunday morning, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As per the NIH data, the death toll in the country has now risen to 30,590 with the addition of three new fatalities while the number of total infections now stood at 1,570,016 after adding the fresh 228 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Saturday), 19,041 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 1.20 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 114.

COVID-19 Statistics 04 September 2022
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 19,041
Positive Cases: 228
Positivity %: 1.20%
Deaths: 03
Patients on Critical Care: 114

— NIH Pakistan (@NIH_Pakistan) September 4, 2022

This winter could bring 'whole new' Covid strains: EU

New coronavirus variants are most likely to emerge this winter but existing vaccines should protect people from serious illness and death, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on 3 September.
The following comment arrived after the 27-nation European Union prepares to roll out a booster campaign ahead of a feared wave of new coronavirus cases later this year.

"It will include a mix of newly-approved jabs adapted for the now dominant Omicron strain, and the original vaccines developed to fight the virus that first emerged in China in 2019," the EMA vaccines chief Marco Cavaleri said. However, it added that people should not wait for a specific vaccine.

"There might be a completely new variant emerging that we are not able to predict today," Marco Cavaleri added.

Earlier on 1 September, the EMA approved vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna that are adapted to tackle the older BA.1 subvariant of Omicron.

According to details, the Pfizer version updated for the now-dominant BA.4 and 5 strains should be authorised in mid-September, while a similar Moderna jab is also in the pipeline.

"But these new Omicron-adapted jabs will largely be reserved for boosters for the elderly, the vulnerable, pregnant women and healthcare workers," Cavaleri said, adding most people will get the original vaccines that are designed to tackle the Wuhan strain of coronavirus.

"The original vaccines are still able to protect against severe Covid 19 disease and death, even if they are less effective at preventing infection," he said, adding, "It was 'not excluded' that new variants this winter might end up being closer to earlier Omicron strains that had now largely been overtaken by the BA.4 and 5 types."

Mahathir discharged from hospital after Covid-19 treatment

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was discharged from hospital on Sunday after being admitted for COVID-19, his office said in a statement.
The 97-year-old, who served for more than two decades as prime minister and is still an active lawmaker, has a history of heart troubles. He has had heart attacks and bypass surgeries.

Mahathir, admitted to the National Heart Institute on Wednesday after testing positive for the coronavirus, will remain quarantined at home until Tuesday, the statement said.

He has received at least three doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the last known shot in November 2021, according to earlier comments from him and government officials.

The nonagenarian, a trained physician, underwent an elective medical procedure in January and was readmitted to the hospital later that month for treatment. The National Heart Institute did not say at the time what procedure he had undergone.

After serving as prime minister for 22 years until 2003, Mahathir returned as premier at the age of 92 in 2018 after leading the opposition coalition to a historic win, defeating the party that he had once led. His government collapsed in less than two years due to infighting.