Pakistan is apparently flattening the curve on the spread of Covid-19 as the country recorded the lowest number of coronavirus cases in months.
According to the latest data issued by the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday, the single-day number of coronavirus cases in the country has plunged to below 1,000 to 936 and deaths to 23 during the last 24 hours (Monday).
However, the government appeared to have ruled out any leniency despite encouraging Covid-19 figures as the authorities in Punjab and federal capital have announced fresh measures on the eve of Eidul Azha to contain any further spread of the coronavirus.
The number of recoveries from Covid-19 continued to surge across the country with 242,436 patients so far recovered from the disease.
According to the latest statistics, 936 new coronavirus cases were reported in the country during the last 24 hours (Monday) taking the tally to 275,225.
These included 118,824 in Sindh, 92,279 in Punjab, 33,510 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11,624 in Balochistan, 14,938 in Islamabad, 2,010 Gilgit-Baltistan and 2,040 in Azad Kashmir.
Meanwhile, 23 patients died of the virus during the last 24 hours taking the death toll to 5,865.
Punjab has recorded 206 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours, according to the government's Covid-19 portal, taking the provincial tally to 92,279 with 8,889 active cases. The good news was that the province recorded only nine deaths as the death toll climbed to 2,125. With five new recoveries, 81,265 patients have recovered from the virus in the province so far.
The total coronavirus cases now stand at 275, 225 with 1410 more people recovered from the coronavirus during the last 24 hours. This has taken the total number of recovered people to 242,436. According to the portal, the number of critical patients stands at 1,217. There are only 26,924 active cases in the country.
Sindh has recorded 513 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the provincial tally to 118,824 with 8182 active cases.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 113 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 33,510 with 5134 active cases. The province also reported two new deaths, taking the death toll to 1,180.
Balochistan has recorded 23 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 11, 624 with 1465 active cases. It was the fifth consecutive day that the province has not reported any death, as death toll remains at 136.
Islamabad has recorded 54 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 14,636 with 2,396 active cases. The capital also reported one new death, taking the death toll to 165.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir has recorded six new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 2040 with 509 active cases. With no new death reported for the fourth consecutive day, the death toll remains at 49.
Gilgit Baltistan has recorded 21 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 2010 with 375 active cases. With one new death reported, the death toll reaches at 48.
The number of tests administered across the country has now increased to 19,09,846 as 19,610 new tests were conducted on Monday.
Pakistan successfully confronting Covid-19: Khusro
Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar has said that Pakistan is resolutely and successfully confronting coronavirus pandemic and taking all possible measures to strengthen the existing health system.
While participating in China-Afghanistan-Pakistan-Nepal Quadrilateral Foreign Ministers' Video Conference on Joint Response to COVID-19, the minister said that Pakistan is ready to both enhance cooperation in combating COVID-19 and in post-pandemic economic recovery with the participating countries.
The minister emphasized that Pakistan's "smart lockdown" policy has delivered demonstrable results with new infection rate and fatality rate substantially going down.
He called for the lifting of the military siege and allowing access of international health experts to Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and immediately extending requisite medical help to the besieged Kashmiris.