111 more succumb to COVID-19 as death toll nears 10,000 in Pakistan

• 100 people died of COVID-19 in Pakistan hospitals 
• 2,256 new cases reported in the last 24 hours 
• Positivity rate stands at 6.07%

In the last 24 hours, Pakistan has reported more than 100 deaths from COVID-19, its highest coronavirus related deaths in six months, according to data issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday.

The NCOC data showed that 111 people lost their lives to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide death toll to 9,668. It also said that 100 patients died in the hospital, out of which 61 were on ventilators.

The country reported 2,256 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with a positivity ratio of 6.07%.

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Amid a second wave of the virus, the country has reported 465,070 COVID-19 cases so far. The number of active cases has dropped to 38,268 with the nationwide recoveries rising to 417,134.

The average number of coronavirus deaths in Pakistan has been increasing since the start of December.

Bids to contain the virus

With the rising spread of the virus, the federal government on December 9 warned it would shut down more sectors if the public continued to violate coronavirus SOPs.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development and NCOC chief Asad Umar said there was a rapid increase in infections during the second wave as the public was less serious than it was during the first wave.

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He warned that if the virus is not contained, the government may decide to close down more sectors and impose stricter restrictions in two weeks' time.

Current restrictions

The federal government has already made face masks mandatory in public spaces, limited large public gatherings to 300, banned indoor weddings, closed shrines, cinemas, and theatres, and instructed public and private offices to adopt a work-from-home policy and 50% occupancy.

The federal government has also announced that educational institutes will remain closed from November 26 to January 10. The students will study at home or get weekly homework till December 24 and winter vacations will start December 25. The schools will reopen on January 11 - which is subject to coronavirus situation then. All examinations have been postponed except admission and recruitment tests.

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Furthermore, all provinces have banned indoor dining and limited timings for markets, shops, and shopping malls. Many areas in the country have been placed under smart lockdowns.

Public gatherings

With an intensely political environment, the country has been seeing large public gatherings aimed to remove the incumbent government. The Opposition recently held power-shows in Peshawar, Multan, and Lahore with thousands of people attending the jalsa but without face masks and social distancing.