Pakistan coronavirus cases nosedive

There were visible signs that the third wave of coronavirus is receding in Pakistan as the country reported less than 1,000 singly-day infections in months.

Another 59 people lost their lives to the coronavirus whereas 838 fresh cases were reported during the last 24 hours (Monday) across Pakistan, showed the data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday morning.

According to the latest NCOC figures, after adding 59 more deaths the toll has now surged to 21,782 whereas the number of confirmed cases stood at 943,027 after adding 838 new ones.

During the past 24 hours (Monday), 1,576 patients have recovered from the virus while the total recoveries stood at 880,316.

Statistics 15 June 21:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 35,039
Positive Cases: 838
Positivity % : 2.39%
Deaths : 59

— NFRCC (@NFRCCofficial) June 15, 2021

As of Tuesday, the total count of active cases was recorded at 40,929, while the positivity rate was dropped to 2.39 percent.

As many as 328,663 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 344,196 in Punjab, 136,205 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 82,170 in Islamabad, 26,275 in Balochistan, 19,791 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 5,727 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moreover, 10,548 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 5,256 in Sindh, 4,234 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 773 in Islamabad, 569 in Azad Kashmir, 294 in Balochistan and 108 in Gilgit Baltistan.

The health facilities across the country conducted 35,039 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of Covid-19 tests to 13,892,289 since the first case was reported early last year.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Here are the global developments in the coronavirus crisis: 

- WHO warning - 

The World Health Organization warns that Covid-19 is moving faster than the vaccines, saying the G7's vow to share a billion doses with poorer nations is not enough.

"We need more, and we need them faster," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells journalists.

- Johnson delays full opening -

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a four-week delay, to July 19, to the full lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England due to a surge of infections caused by the Delta variant first discovered in India.

- Novavax 90 percent effective -

Novavax's jab is more than 90-percent effective including against variants, the American vaccine maker says after a large-scale US study.

- Two jabs 'highly effective' -

Two doses of Covid-19 vaccines are "highly effective" in preventing hospital admission with the Delta variant, Public Health England says.

- Iranian vaccine -

Iran gives emergency approval for a domestically produced vaccine -- COVIran Barekat -- as it battles the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak.

- New York parade -

New York is to stage a parade on July 7 to pay homage to essential workers who have distinguished themselves during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio announces.

- Taj Mahal to reopen -

India's top tourist attraction the Taj Mahal will reopen on Wednesday, two months after it was shut as a deadly surge in coronavirus infections swept the country.

- 3.8 million deaths -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,805,928 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 599,779 deaths, followed by Brazil with 487,401, India with 374,305, Mexico with 230,150, Peru with 188,708 and the United Kingdom with 127,907.

The figures are based on reports by health authorities in each country, but do not take into account upward revisions carried out later by statistical bodies. 

The WHO says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.

With inputs from AFP.