Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 448,522 on Thursday after 2,545 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.
Overall, 199,706 cases were reported in Sindh, 129,291 in Punjab, 53,609 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 17,838 in Balochistan, 35,441 in Islamabad, 4,804 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 7,833 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's Covid-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached 9,080 with 71 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.
Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 396,591 after another 7,993 virus recoveries were reported.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccine to be procured by the government will be administered to the Pakistani public free of cost.
Addressing a media briefing at National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in Islamabad, he assured the country that the vaccine will be procured keeping in view its safety, efficacy and effectiveness.
The SAPM once again urged people to fully comply with the SOPs, saying the coronavirus positivity ratio has reached 7-8 per cent and its intensity has increased in big cities.
It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 72.8 million and death toll tops 1.632 million.
