COVID-19 updates: Positivity rate in Lahore crosses 20%

Peshawar sees highest COVID-19 positivity rate for second consecutive day

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People arrive at coronavirus testing centre at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, on December 19, 2022. — INP
People arrive at coronavirus testing centre at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, on December 19, 2022. — INP

  • Peshawar sees highest COVID-19 positivity rate on second consecutive day.
  • Lahore logs 1,380 new infections during last 24 hours.
  • Karachi's positivity rate rises up to second highest.


Lahore witnessed an alarming rise in its COVID-19 positivity rate after it shot up from 15.25% to 20.58% in a single day as the spread of the pandemic does not seem to slow down anywhere in the country.

As of January 27, 1,380 new infections were detected in Lahore during the last 24 hours when 6,705 samples underwent the diagnostic test.

Latest district-wise coronavirus stats suggested that Peshawar remained to be the city with the highest COVID-19 positivity ratio on the second consecutive day, with 29.65% positivity after only a slight decline overnight.

Meanwhile, Karachi ranked the second-most affected city with 27.92% positivity, Islamabad’s positivity percentage also registered a slight uptick rising to 17.13% on January 27.

District

Covid-19 lab tests in 24 hours

Positive cases in 24 hours

Positivity percentage

Mirpur

453

50

11.04%

Muzaffarabad

519

137

26.40%

Quetta

413

27

6.54%

Diamer

113

7

6.19%

Gilgit

60

11

18.33%

Skardu

74

0

0%

Islamabad

9,048

1,550

17.13%

Abbottabad

348

45

12.93%

Bannu

252

12

4.76%

Mardan

814

185

22.73%

Nowshera

341

58

17.01S%

Peshawar

2405

713

29.65%

Swabi

553

62

11.21%

Swat

550

23

4.18%

Bahawalpur

654

54

8.26%

Faisalabad

1,120

85

7.59%

Gujranwala

907

44

4.85%

Gujrat

590

17

2.88%

Jhelum

282

21

7.45%

Lahore

6,705

1,380

20.58%

Multan

1,047

88

8.40%

Rawalpindi

3,554

363

10.21%

Sargodha

623

26

4.17%

Hyderabad

2,006

413

20.59%

Karachi

6,168

1,722

27.92%

As the fifth wave of the coronavirus surges through the country, due to the highly-transmissible Omicron variant, major cities in Pakistan have seen an uptick in positivity ratio, which is the percentage of tests that came back positive for COVID-19 out of the total conducted.

In 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised the governments that before removing coronavirus-related restrictions, rates of positivity should remain at 5% or below for at least 14 days. The Pakistan government has also directed curbs in cities that report positivity rates over 10%.

— With additional reporting by Waqar Bhatti