ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar has said Pakistan had conducted the highest number of coronavirus tests in one day on Wednesday this week.
Pakistan lifted nearly all lockdown restrictions on businesses and tourism last month and this month began the phased reopening of schools and universities also.
“Significant build up in covid testing done to carry out sentinel [random] testing at educational institutions in order to identify early trends, if any,” Umar said in a Twitter post. “42,299 tests carried out yesterday which is by far the highest ever. Positivity ratio continues to be stable below 2%.”
Significant build up in covid testing done to carry out sentinel testing at educational institutions in order to identify early trends, if any. 42,299 tests carried out yesterday which is by far the highest ever. Positivity ratio continues to be stable below 2%
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) September 24, 2020
The South Asian country has recorded more than 308,000 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 6,500 deaths, but has seen a slowing of numbers since June, when it recorded nearly 7,000 infections and 118 deaths in a single day.
Around 798 cases were recorded in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, according to a government portal.