Pakistan records ‘lowest’ coronavirus positivity ratio since start of pandemic

A street vendor selling facemasks sits as he waits for customers on a street in Rawalpindi on July 5, 2020. (AFP/ FILE)
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  • 516 new infections and 13 deaths were reported in the country in the past 24 hours 
  • Over 101 million people have received at least one dose of a vaccine since February this year

ISLAMABAD: The COVID-19 positivity rate in Pakistan has dropped to 1.34 percent in the past 24 hours, the country’s planning minister said, calling it the “lowest” ratio since the start of the pandemic in February last year.
Pakistan has witnessed a steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks, leading authorities to ease restrictions across the country.
The South Asian country has reported 1,270,322 total infections and 28,405 deaths since the pandemic began.
“Alhamdulillah [thanks God] we now have lowest positivity ratio since we started measuring covid,” Asad Umar, who also heads the federal pandemic response body, said on Twitter. “Also have lowest patients on critical care & lowest daily mortality in a year.”
“Positive impact of vaccination showing but vaccination drive must continue. Globally 7,500 died of covid yesterday.”


The country recorded 516 new virus cases and 13 deaths in the last 24 hours. The data showed that 1,445 patients were still in critical care.

 


The COVID-19 curve has flattened in Pakistan, officials say, because of an aggressive vaccination drive by the government, with over 101 million people having received at least one dose of a vaccine since February. Almost 40 million people are fully vaccinated so far in a population of 220 million.