Pakistan COVID-19 positivity rate drops to 1%

Islamabad: Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity rate on Sunday dropped as low as 1.08 per cent, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

During the last 24 hours, 43,348, tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country of which 471 returned positive.

The country’s tally of cases after 471 infections reached 1,276,711 while the death toll after 20 fatalities in 24 hours reached 28,538.

Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services (MNHS) on Sunday reported 493 recoveries in the last 24 hours, 96 per cent, pushing the total number of recoveries to 1,225,363.

The official portal of the MNHS further reveals that the country has recorded less than 1,000 daily infections for the last three weeks.

The number of active cases, too, is continuing on a downward trend and was recorded at 22,810 on Sunday.

Pakistan has administered at least 110,800,576 doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far. If the current average continues, the government is confident to achieve the target of 70 million doses of vaccine administered by the end of the current year.

During the last week, Pakistan averaged about 724,418 doses administered each day.

“COVID-19 has lessons to learn”

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, has attributed the success against coronavirus to teamwork.

In his tweet, the minister said: “There are a number of learnings from the NCOC experience, having huge implications for the way governance is carried out.

However, the most important of these is not new. Just reinforced by the Covid experience ... If Pakistan plays as one team, we win.”

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan also referred to global recognition and praise for Pakistan’s response to the virus was continuing.

“We must continue our efforts with the same vigour — but happy to see that our leadership’s strategies and the public’s resolve — are being recognised as best practices,” he tweeted.