COVID-19: Pakistan reports 1,683 new cases, 24 deaths in last 24 hours

Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 967,633 on Thursday after 1,683 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.

Overall 343,303 cases were confirmed in Sindh, 347,347 in Punjab, 138,855 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 27,502 in Balochistan, 83,259 in Islamabad, 6,639 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 20,728 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

As per National Command and Operation (NCOC) data, 50,531 tests were conducted in last 24 hours while positivity ratio remained 3.33%.

According to the government's COVID-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached to 22,493 with 24 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.

Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 910,609 after another 1,084 virus recoveries were reported.

Meanwhile, the NCOC on Wednesday expressed concerns over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan.

According to details, a meeting of the NCOC, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, was held in Islamabad.

The meeting was briefed about the violations of the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in different sectors.

The forum directed the provinces to ensure the strict implementation of the SOPs on the occasion of Eid ul Adha.

The NCOC also directed the provinces to ramp up their coronavirus vaccination drives.

It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 185.858 million and death toll tops 4,017,939.