Single day Covid-19 cases at record high

The number of new coronavirus infections in the country rose by a record high in the past 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre’s (NCOC) data showed on Thursday, but the fatalities and hospitalisations were still relatively low compared to the height of the previous pandemic wave.

The NCOC – the nerve centre of the government’s synchronised anti-Covid strategy – said that the single day tally of fresh coronavirus infection rose to 6,808 at an alarming national positivity ratio of 11.55%. The new cases pushed the number of active cases above 50,000, for the first time since September.

Thursday’s cases were the country’s second highest ever single day tally, which was recorded on June 13, 2020, when the NCOC reported 6,825 coronavirus cases. The number of active cases also shot up to 51,094 in the last 24 hours, the highest since September 26.

The coronavirus pandemic first emerged in the country in February 2020. The cases peaked in the summer but started declining in July that year. However, the cases surged towards the end of the year, dubbed by the experts as the second wave.

Last year saw to massive waves of the disease driven by Delta and the Indian variant. Currently, the country is in the grip of a fifth wave of the pandemic which fuelled by Omicron variant. However, compared with the previous waves the number of daily fatalities and hospitalisation is low.

According to the NCOC, 5 people succumbed to the deadly infection during the past 24 hours, raising the nationwide death toll to 29,042. Among the active cases, the forum said in its daily update that 918 patients were admitted to various Covid-dedicated health facilities across the country.

According to the official data, more than half of the new Covid cases were detected in Sindh. The single day provincial tally of 3,738, showed a 19.6% over Wednesday’s tally. The provincial capital Karachi recorded the highest positivity ratio in the country at 41%.

The NCOC had on Wednesday issued revised coronavirus guidelines and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the education, restaurant, entertainment, and other sectors to contain the fast spreading pandemic.

In line with the revised NCOC guidelines, the Sindh government issued new orders for the continuation of academic activities in schools with SOPs and announced new curbs for Karachi and Hyderabad where the positivity ratio was over 10%.

According to a statement issued by the Sindh Home Department, a complete ban on indoor weddings had been imposed, while outdoors weddings have been restricted to 300 fully vaccinated individuals. A ban on all types of indoor gatherings, including dine-in, has also been imposed.

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)