Maryam Nawaz tests positive for coronavirus

• Maryam Nawaz in self-quarantine after testing positive.
• Maryam says she has "fever, cough, and flu symptoms".
• Daily virus cases crossed 4,000 for first time in two months.

PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has tested positive for coronavirus, the party's spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed Wednesday, as fears of a fourth coronavirus wave loom large.

Maryam has gone into self-quarantine after testing positive, Aurangzeb said, as she appealed people to pray for the PML-N leader and other people infected with the virus.

Later, the PML-N vice-president, responding to a tweet, said was being treated at home and has symptoms like "fever, cough, and flu".

Notable Pakistani politicians, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, have tested positive and recovered from the virus. 

The development comes as Pakistan's daily COVID-19 case count crossed 4,000 for the first time in two months Wednesday morning after the National Command and Operation Centre reported 4,119 fresh infections.

The country last recorded more than 4,000 cases in a single day on May 22.

According to the NCOC's latest statistics, 52,291 coronavirus tests were taken in the last 24 hours across the country. Of these, 4,119 came back positive.

Another 44 people, meanwhile, lost their lives to the virus in the last 24 hours, pushing the national death tally to 23,133.

The positivity rate, too, went up again. The current rate is 7.8%

The total number of cases has reached 1,015,827. In addition to this, 7,020 patients recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 935,742 while the number of active cases is 56,952.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Pakistan's coronavirus death rate in July surpassed the global death rate figures, according to officials from the health ministry.

The death rate in July was between 2.30% and 2.37% in Pakistan, according to data shared by the World Health Organisation. The worldwide death rate in July was between 2.15% to 2.17%.

Health experts says non-compliance with standard operating procedures and no vaccination can increase death rates.