91% of Pakistan’s coronavirus cases locally transmitted

Local coronavirus transmission in Pakistan has risen to 91%, a World Health Organisation (WHO) report finds, up from 81% a few weeks back.

As per the daily situation report by WHO, dated May 25, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in locally transmitted cases of the deadly virus, while imported cases in the country have fallen to 9%.

Local or community transmission takes place when people within a household or an area are infected by those who have no travel history to a virus-hit country. While initially COVID-19 was imported into the country, largely brought in by the pilgrims returning from Iran, it is circulating faster locally.

According to the WHO report, locally transmitted cases are the highest in Islamabad, 99%.

The breakdown in the rest of the country is as follows:

-Balochistan 96%

-Sindh 94%

- Azad Jammu and Kashmir 93%

-Punjab 90%

-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 85%

- Gilgit Baltistan 72%

On April 27, Pakistan’s local transmission figures stood at 81%, as per the update by the National Command and Operation Control (NCOC).