ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded the highest positivity rate of COVID-19 infections at 2.32 per cent amid the ongoing fifth wave of the pandemic.
The statistics provided by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed that the country recorded 1,085 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths during the past 24 hours, whereas, the number of critical patients reached up to 636.
According to the vaccine statistics, 750,392 people have been administered COVID-19 jabs in a day, taking the total number to 160,651,005.
Statistics 6 Jan 22:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 46,585
Positive Cases: 1085
Positivity %: 2.32%
Deaths :5
Patients on Critical Care: 636— NCOC (@OfficialNcoc) January 6, 2022
Pakistan has reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 up to 1,299,848, 28,955 deaths, 1,257,847 recovered patients and 23,655,230 total tests. In the past 24 hours, the country conducted 46,585 tests.
Amid the Omicron variant outbreak globally and in Pakistan, the NCOC head Asad Umar had earlier ruled out any possibility of complete lockdown, however, he asked the citizens to strictly adopt the precautionary measures besides getting COVID-19 jabs at the earliest.
Omicron: Pakistan sees rise in positivity rate, raises age limit for booster dose
It emerged that 60 per cent of the total Omicron cases were reported in Karachi. Yesterday, the first case of the Omicron variant was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in Mansehra, leading the administration to quarantine the area and take special measures to impose health emergency across the province for the next three months.
Tough restrictions expected in Sindh
The Sindh government is likely to impose tough restrictions amid the fifth wave of the pandemic, however, the final decisions will be taken in a high-level session of the province’s COVID-19 task force to be held under the chair of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday, 11:00 am.
The upcoming session will mull over reducing business hours from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm across Sindh besides a complete closure of business centres on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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It will also consider the recommendations to allow only two days of regular classes in the government and private schools. It is recommended to allow regular classes in schools from Class 1 to 5 for two days a week, three days a week from Class 6 to 8 and five days a week from Class 9 to 12.
The provincial authorities will consider giving special powers to the assistant commissioners to check vaccination cards of the teachers, staff members and students of all educational institutions.