Pakistan has registered seven more deaths and 288 infections from the coronavirus pandemic during the last 24 hours (Saturday), showed the statistics released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday morning.

As per the NCOC data, after the addition of seven new deaths, the overall toll has now surged to 28,830 whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,289,049 after adding the fresh 288 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Saturday), a total of 46,006 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio stood at 0.62 percent. The number of patients in critical care was 740.

https://twitter.com/OfficialNcoc/status/1469820531495124998

During the last 24 hours (Saturday), as many as 674 patients have recovered from the virus whereas the total recoveries stood at 1,251,101. As of Sunday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 9,118.

As many as 477,869 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 443,839 in Punjab, 180,661 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 108,117 in Islamabad, 33,531 in Balochistan, 34,606 in Azad Kashmir and 10,426 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, 13,051 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 7,636 in Sindh, 5,889 in KP, 962 in Islamabad, 743 in Azad Kashmir, 363 in Balochistan and 186 in Gilgit Baltistan.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the global developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Covid deaths hit four-month high in Peru -

Peru, the country with the highest Covid-19 death rate in the world, records more than 100 deaths on Friday, a figure not seen for four months.

The country begins requiring vaccine certificates in stores, banks and airports due to the increase in cases and deaths. It also bans social gatherings including ones in family homes over Christmas and New Year.

-Denmark sees Omicron surge -

Denmark sees 1,840 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, health authorities say on Saturday, up by 44 percent from Friday.  Earlier in the day, the Epidemic Commission raises the risk level for the spread of the infection to four, on a scale of five, indicating there is a "potential for a high disease burden".   

- Mauritius sees first Omicron cases -

The Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius records its first two infections of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, both linked to people returned from South Africa, with a dozen more contact cases feared.

Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal tells a news conference the pair were asymptomatic and had tested negative the day before.

- France approves antibody therapy for high-risk cases -

French health authorities approve the use of an anti-body treatment made by AstraZeneca for high-risk people who show resistance to vaccines against coronavirus.

Evusheld, developed by the British-Swedish pharma company, this week received emergency use authorisation in the United States for adults and children aged 12 and above.

- Thousands protest compulsory jabs in Austria -

Tens of thousands gather in Austria's capital Vienna to protest mandatory Covid vaccines and home confinement orders for those who have not yet received the jabs.

Police say an estimated 44,000 people attended the demonstration, the latest in a string of huge weekend protests since Austria last month became the first EU country to say it would make Covid vaccinations compulsory.

- Nearly 5.3 million dead - 

The coronavirus has killed at least 5.29 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP on Saturday. 

The United States has suffered the most Covid-related deaths with 796,765, followed by Brazil with 616,691, India with 475,128, Mexico with 296,385 and Russia with 288,351.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.

With inputs from AFP.