Pakistan records steep rise in coronavirus infections, positivity ratio

The latest wave of coronavirus seemed to have set its foot in Pakistan and the number of daily infections is on the rise steadily.

According to the statistics issued by the National Institute of Health Pakistan on Saturday morning, Pakistan has recorded a massive surge in its everyday Covid-19 cases as it posted 435 infections with positivity ratio swelling to 3.19 percent during the last 24 hours (Friday).

As per the NIH data, the death toll in Pakistan has inched up to 30,386 as another fatality was reported whereas the number of total infections now stood at 1,533,482 after adding the fresh 435 cases.

During the last 24 hours (Friday), 13,644 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan whereas the positivity ratio also shot up to 3.19 percent. The number of patients in critical care was recorded at 87.

COVID-19 Statistics 25 June 2022
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 13,644
Positive Cases: 435
Positivity %: 3.19%
Deaths: 01
Patients on Critical Care: 87

— NIH Pakistan (@NIH_Pakistan) June 25, 2022

During the last 24 hours (Friday), another 116 patients recovered from the Covid-19 in Pakistan and the number of total recoveries now stood at 1,498,981. As of Saturday, the total count of active cases in the country was recorded at 4,115.

As many as 579,041 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Sindh, 507,954 in Punjab, 219,896 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 135,933 in Islamabad, 35,525 in Balochistan, 43,375 in Azad Kashmir and 11,758 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

As many as 13,566 individuals have lost their lives to the pandemic in Punjab so far, 8,109 in Sindh, 6,324 in KP, 1,026 in Islamabad, 792 in Azad Kashmir, 378 in Balochistan and 191 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Singapore eases movement curbs for migrant workers

Migrant workers in Singapore no longer need special permission to leave their dormitories from Friday, after two years of coronavirus curbs, but campaigners criticised the decision to maintain some "discriminatory" restrictions. 

Around 300,000 migrant workers, many of them from South Asia, live in dorms in the prosperous city-state, where they are typically packed into shared rooms and sleep on bunk beds.

The vast complexes were hit by Covid-19 and locked down at the start of the pandemic, casting a rare spotlight on what rights activists said were the poor living conditions of the low-paid workers.

For most people in Singapore, strict movement curbs were only in place for a short period, but migrant workers remained largely confined to their dorms, except to go to work or run errands. 

Authorities have gradually eased restrictions, allowing them to visit specially built "recreation centres", and rolled out a scheme allowing them to apply for special "exit passes" to visit specific areas.

From Friday, the workers -- employed in industries including construction and maintenance -- will no longer need passes to leave their dorms. 

But authorities in tightly-controlled Singapore still require them to apply for permission to visit four popular locations on Sundays and public holidays, with up to 80,000 passes available per day. 

The measure is to manage "potential high footfall" in those areas, a labour ministry spokesperson told AFP. 

"Even as we free up community visits, there is still a need to be vigilant as the pandemic is not over." 

Desiree Leong, from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, a local group that supports migrant workers, welcomed an end to the exit pass requirement but slammed the remaining restrictions as "discriminatory".

"For the rest of us, we don't have movement restrictions any more," she said. "It's difficult to see why those restrictions still apply to migrant workers."

Somalia president tests positive for Covid

Somalia's new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Friday he is isolating after testing positive for Covid-19, shortly after returning from a trip to the United Arab Emirates.

"So far, I have no symptoms but I will continue to self-isolate and serve the people of Somalia from home," he said on Twitter.

"I ask we all keep each other safe by following public health advice and guidelines."

The 66-year-old president returned Friday from the United Arab Emirates where he had made his first official trip abroad since his election on May 15. 

Mohamud is a former academic and peace activist who was previously president from 2012 to 2017 but whose first administration was dogged by claims of corruption and infighting.

The troubled Horn of Africa nation has recorded 26,748 coronavirus cases of which 1,361 have been fatal, according to the World Health Organization.

With inputs from AFP.