Pakistan reports over 75 deaths due to COVID-19, highest since June 9

ISLAMABAD: After more than a month, Pakistan reported more than 75 deaths due to COVID-19 on Thursday, data issued from the National Command and Operation Centre showed.

It was for the first time after June 9 that Pakistan recorded 76 new deaths due to the coronavirus taking the countrywide death toll to 23,209.

On the other hand, the country for the second consecutive day reported more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases.

As per the NCOC, 59,707 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours out of which 4,497 returned positive. The new cases take the nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,020,324.

The positivity rate stands at 7.5%.

In addition to this, 1,612 patients have recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 937,354 while the number of active cases is 59,761.

Lockdown in Karachi

Amid the rising number of cases, the data shows that Sindh is one of the hardest hit by the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Given the alarming rise in coronavirus cases in the provincial capital Karachi, Secretary-General of the Pakistan Medical Association Dr Qaiser Sajjad has suggested imposing a 15-day lockdown in the metropolis.

Speaking to Geo News, Dr Sajjad had said that according to governmental statistics, the positivity ratio of coronaviruses has risen to 30% in the city.

"If we count those people who have not taken a PCR test for COVID-19, the positivity ratio in the city has likely reached 40%," Dr Sajjad had said.

He had added that given the alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the city, the government has no other option but to impose a complete lockdown.