COVID-19: Pakistan reports highest daily death toll

Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday reported its highest COVID-19 death toll in a single day.

Authorities reported 157 deaths, bringing the overall fatalities to 16,999. A total of 5,908 additional cases pushed the toll to 790,016, as authorities complain of routine violations of social distancing and mask-wearing rules.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that military troops will be called to help police enforce the restrictions in public places.

Authorities also decided to keep educational institutions closed until the situation improved.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a talk show Saturday that despite the increasing cases and deaths, Pakistan's situation was better than in neighbouring India. He said a planeload of 500,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccines arrived on Friday.