Pakistan sees highest daily virus cases since July 2020

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan reported 5,329 new cases of coronavirus, according to the Health Ministry on Thursday, the highest single-day number in the country since July 2020.

With new infections, the total number of cases in the country reached 705,517.

The country also reported 98 more fatalities over the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 15,124.

Some 623,399 patients have so far recovered, whereas the number of active cases reached 66,994.

Infections have risen sharply in the South Asian nation of over 200 million people in recent days, with over 32,000 COVID-19 cases reported in the first eight days of April.

The government has already imposed "broader lockdowns" in high-risk areas, with no movement allowed, except for emergencies until April 11.

Pakistan is currently vaccinating frontline health care workers and senior citizens using Sinopharm, and CanSino doses donated by China.

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Asad Umar, who leads the country's anti-virus response, said over 1 million people have so far been vaccinated.

Private hospitals in major cities have also started inoculation with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine imported by a pharmaceutical company.