COVID-19: Pakistan reports slight drop in infections and deaths

• Pakistan reports slight decline in active COVID-19 cases.
• Positivity rate remained under 10%.
  
• 6,137 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
  

Pakistan reported a slight decline in the COVID-19 infections as the positivity rate remained under 10% for the fourth consecutive day, recorded at 9.67%, the National Command and Operation Centre's (NCOC) data showed Saturday morning. 

A significant drop in active cases has also been recorded as the number stood at 91,620 since it crossed 100k on January 30.

However, as per the statistics issued by the NCOC, 28 people lost their lives to the infection, bringing the overall death toll to 29,448.

The number of new cases in the last 24 hours stands at 6,137 after 1,664,560 diagnostic tests were conducted, placing Pakistan's COVID-19 confirmed cases at 1,454,800 since the pandemic started.

Cities with high positivity rates

• Muzaffarabad — 34.33%
• Peshawar — 25.84%
• Swabi — 22.75%
• Hyderabad — 21.59%
• Mardan — 19.51%
• Karachi — 18.60%
• Gilgit — 18.18%
• Lahore — 10.99%

Last week, Pakistan's Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr. Faisal Sultan, asked the public to stop being lazy and get their booster shots if they haven't already. As Pakistan fights the fifth COVID-19 wave led by the Omicron, Dr. Faisal Sultan had urged people to get their shots.

Before, he had told people to get their COVID-19 booster shots if it had been more than six months since they had their second dose.