Highest single-day count in 4 months

Pakistan recorded the highest single-day spike of 3,009 coronavirus cases in over four months, taking the cumulative tally to 382,892. According to the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), the Sars-CoV-2 virus claimed 59 lives across the country in the past 24 hours. Pakistan’s death toll now stands at 7,803.

The number of active cases has jumped to 41,115 while 1,867 patients are under critical care. The positivity rate remains stagnant for the third consecutive day at over 7%.

With the Covid-19 pandemic progressively getting worse in Pakistan, the government has placed fresh restrictions across the country to prevent the spread of the virus during its second wave.

Following recommendations by the NCOC, the government has 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 work-fromhome policy and 50 per cent occupancy.

The federal government 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 subject to the situation at the time.

All examinations have been postponed except admission and recruitment tests.

Apart from the Centre’s Covid-19 policies, the local administration has directed the hostels to accommodate one-third of the usual number of students.

The provincial government has adopted smart lockdowns in at least six cities so far. All shopping malls, restaurants, offices remain closed under the lockdown.