Covid-19: national positivity ratio soars to 12.42pc; Peshawar worst affected city

ISLAMABAD: The number of active Covid-19 cases and hospitalisation of the coronavirus patients is rapidly on the rise since the spread of the Omicron variant of the global pandemic.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), in the past 24 hours, Pakistan has recorded 7,978 fresh coronavirus cases taking the nationwide tally of the cases to 1,425,039 since the pandemic outbreak.

The country also reported 2,987 coronavirus recoveries taking Pakistan’s total recoveries to 1,291,725 but the percentage of recoveries has dropped to 90.6 percent from 97 percent as compared with December 31, 2021.

Elsewhere in the country, 21 more Covid-19 deaths were recorded taking the national coronavirus death tally to 29,269, since the outbreak.

According to the NCOC data, in the past 24 hours, a total 61,077 coronavirus tests were conducted across Pakistan, of which 7,978 returned positive reflecting a positivity ratio of 12.42 percent.

At present, a total 104,045 coronavirus cases are active across the country, of which 1,423 coronavirus patients are in critical condition and being treated a various Covid-19 dedicated health facilities.

Throughout January, Karachi remained the most-affected major city but now at the end of January, the virus is fast spreading in major cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

In the past 24 hours, Peshawar remained the worst Covid-19-hit city with 39.63 percent Covid-19 positivity rate, followed by another KPK’s city Mardan with 31.08 percent positivity.

While the capital of the AJK, Muzaffarabad with 27.40 Covid-19 positivity ratio stood third, followed by Karachi with 21.79 percent Covid-19 positivity, Mirpur 15.07 percent, Lahore 14.44 percent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 14.29 percent, Rawalpindi 12.62percent, Hyderabad 11.02 percent, Nowshera 10.88 percent and Bahawalpur 10.21 percent.

On account of Covid-19 deaths, Sindh is the worst-hit area with 541,693 cases, of which, 1,670 infections were reported in the past 24 hours, while a total 46,314 Covid-19 cases are active in the province, followed by the Punjab with 478,527 cases, of which, 2,107 infections reported in the past 24 hours, while 28,745 Covid-19 patients are active in Punjab.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with 194,166 cases, of which, 1,647 were detected in the past 24 hours is on the third position, whereas, a total 10,717 cases are active in the KPK.

The ICT with a total 127,497 cases, of which, 1,024 were recorded in the past 24 hours, whereas, the number of active cases in the federal capital stood at 15,014, Azad Jammu and Kashmir has reported a total 38,115 cases, of which, 543 in the past 24 hours, and some 2,652 coronavirus patients are active in the valley, Balochistan with a total 34,390 cases, of which, 48 cases were reported in the past 24 hours, while the number of active cases in Balochistan stood at 436 and Gilgit-Baltistan with a total 10,651 cases is on the bottom of the list, of which, nine cases were reported in the past 24 hours, and 167 cases are active in the GB. In the past 24 hours, 21 more coronavirus patients have died.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022