ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported 3,752 new coronavirus cases over the previous 24 hours, the highest single-day toll since May 22, the National Command and Operation Centre said on Monday, stoking concerns of a major spike in infections.
The government portal keeping track of the outbreak in Pakistan on May 21 recorded 4,007 cases that slowly declined to 663 on June 21, but has seen a surge again since July 6.
The NCOC, which leads the campaign against the pandemic, said that the number of overall cases rose to 1,008,446.
The Delta variant, which has been classified by the World Health Organisation as among the four Covid-19 variants of concern due to evidence that they spread more easily, likely caused the latest outbreak.
The highly contagious mutation is surging through Asia, with record numbers of infections in Australia and South Korea, prompting some countries to tighten curbs and others to hasten vaccination.
According to the NCOC statement, Sindh has been the worst hit, with a total of 367,092 cases, followed by Punjab where the disease was detected in 353,238 people.
A total of 23,048 people have died of the disease, including 32 patients who died over the last 24 hours, the NCOC said, adding that 2,677 patients are in critical condition.
The authorities already warned that the country could move to a fourth wave if the public avoids following safety precautions.
“GET VACCINATED,” President Dr Arif Alvi tweeted on Monday in response to the rising cases. “Save your friends, relatives and your nation. Don’t let the recent gains toward stability be sacrificed on the altar of neglect.”
GET VACCINATED. Save your friends, relatives and your nation. Don’t let the recent gains towards stability ne sacrificed on the alter of neglect. You are a rising nation, so the important test is to ‘rise to the occasion.’ https://t.co/XK39QSeXxL
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) July 26, 2021
“This Indian variant has caused devastation in countries in the region. [… Do not risk your own & others lives,” Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, tweeted last week, urging people to follow the standard operating procedures and get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan also called the Delta strain “the biggest concern.”
“After a downslide, infections are on the rise again. We fear that the Delta variant could strike Pakistan,” he said in a televised address, adding: “I appeal to the nation to wear masks and take protective measures.”
VACCINE CONSIGNEMENT ARRIVES:
Meanwhile, a second batch of the Moderna vaccine under the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access facility and a consignment of the Chinese CanSino arrived in Islamabad.
Three million Moderna doses were donated by the United States to the COVAX facility. The previous batch of 2.5 million jabs were delivered earlier this month.
This is the fifth batch of doses acquired under the facility. The programme has pledged free vaccines for 20 percent of the eligible population.
40PC VACCINATIONS BY AUGUST:
Umar on Sunday reported more than 25 million doses of coronavirus vaccine administered across the country since the launch of the vaccination drive in March this year while 20 million people have been vaccinated so far.
During the last week reported, the government averaged about 467,124 doses administered each day. At that rate, it will take a further 93 days to administer enough doses for another 10 percent of the population, a Reuters tally showed.
The minister, in a tweet, said that by the end of August, 40 percent of the eligible population would be vaccinated.
