Maryam Nawaz tests positive for coronavirus

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz has tested positive for Covid-19, the party’s spokesperson said on Wednesday, as Pakistan reported the highest single-day spike of infections in two months — 4,119 new cases.

The country last recorded more than 4,000 cases in a single day on May 21, when 4,007 new cases were reported. The NCOC said the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,015,827, including 935,742 recoveries, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 7.88 per cent.

The Covid-19 claimed 44 more lives across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 23,133, the NCOC said, adding that 2,898 people are in critical condition. Some 3,286 coronavirus patients were admitted to hospitals.

The maximum ventilators were occupied in Islamabad 34 per cent, Lahore 20 per cent, Peshawar 17 per cent and Karachi 17 per cent. Oxygen beds occupancy was highest in Karachi 52 per cent, Gilgit 43 per cent, Islamabad 29 per cent and Abbottabad 27 per cent.

Sindh province is the most affected region of the country with 371,762 infections, followed by the eastern Punjab province which has reported 354,312 cases.

To curb the spread of the disease, Pakistan also expedited the pace of vaccination and administered 683,616 Covid-19 vaccine doses on Tuesday. Active infections stood at 56,952, according to the NCOC’s daily situation report.