Pakistan records 10 Covid deaths in a day

Positivity ratio reaches 3.28% after 737 test positive in 24 hours

At least 10 people succumbed to the coronavirus in Pakistan in 24 hours, according to the daily statistics released by the National Health Institute (NIH) on Saturday.

A total of 737 new cases emerged against a total of 22,451 tests conducted in the last day, bringing the Covid positivity ratio to 3.28%.

Among the death reported, nine occurred in Sindh and one in Punjab.

COVID-19 Statistics 16 July 2022
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 22,451
Positive Cases: 737
Positivity %: 3.28%
Deaths: 10
Patients on Critical Care: 189

— NIH Pakistan (@NIH_Pakistan) July 16, 2022

 

The number was slightly lower than that reported a day earlier, when 779 people had tested positive.

Meanwhile, 189 patients remained in critical care.

According to the government's Covid statistics, Pakistan has recorded a total of 1,544,910 cases, with 30,428 deaths since the pandemic started in 2020.

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The data further showed that 128,194,865 individuals have been completely vaccinated against the virus, and 31,012,576 have received their anti-Covid booster jab.

'Covid here to stay'

To learn more about the virus and its new variants, The Express Tribune interviewed Dr. Faheem Younus, the chief of infectious diseases at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health.

According to Dr Younus, Covid variants remained an area of uncertainty.

“We know that neutralizing antibody titers are lower in individuals, who get exposed to BA.4 and BA.5 variants. To me, the increasing immune evasion appears to be one of the greatest threats these variants pose,” he said.

The doctor maintained that “the best strategy” to prevent future waves is to maximize vaccinations - including boosters - and not focus so much on restrictions and lockdowns.

“Future spikes in cases are likely, but the severity of those waves will depend on the vaccination, immune status of the host, and the virulence of the variant,” he added.

Commenting on Covid in Pakistan, Dr Yunus said that Pakistan was now at 57% fully vaccinated, which amounted to almost 126 million people, a feat that was “commendable”.