Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 800,452 on Monday after 4,825 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.
Overall 278,545 cases were confirmed in Sindh, 290,788 in Punjab, 114,077 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 21,743 in Balochistan, 73,450 in Islamabad, 5,258 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 16,591 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's COVID-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached to 17,187 with 70 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.
Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 694,046 after another 4,234 virus recoveries were reported.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Monday has announced to open registration of 40 plus age citizens for coronavirus vaccination from April 27.
In a post on Twitter, the minister said, “In today’s National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) meeting, we have decided to open up registration of 40 plus age citizens starting tomorrow.”
“If you are 40 years or older please register and encourage others to get registered.” A decision was also taken to allow walk in vaccination of all the registered citizens of 50 plus age group, he added.
Earlier today, the Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab announced that all schools, colleges and universities will remain closed in the province due to the rising coronavirus cases in the provinces.
In a tweet, Wahab said that Sindh government offices will operate with an essential staff of 20% only as the country battles a dangerous third wave of coronavirus.
The spokesperson’s tweet came after Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a high-level meeting with the provincial task force on coronavirus at CM House.
On Sunday, the Sindh government also wrote a letter to the Federal Interior Ministry requesting deployment of the Pakistan Army in the province to enforce strict Covid-19 SOP's.
It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 146.054 million and death toll tops 3.092 million.