Karachi: Pakistan reported the highest daily tally of new coronavirus cases since April 29, driven by a surge in the Delta variant.
The country reported 4,950 new cases on July 30, out of 58,479 tests, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). These are the highest number of cases recorded since April 29, when 5,113 new infections were confirmed.
So far, 15,995,153 tests have been conducted in Pakistan since last year, out of which 1,029,811 came out Covid-19 positive. Currently, over 3,000 people are in critical condition while there are 66,287 active cases of the deadly virus.
Sindh again accounted for most of the new cases, reporting 2,862 infections. Islamabad confirmed 359 infections, Punjab (728), KPK (460), Balochistan (127), Gilgit-Baltistan (88) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (326).
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Meanwhile, 65 more people succumbed to the novel virus in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 23,360. Over 1,000 people also recovered from the virus, taking the total number to 940,164.
In wake of the surge in coronavirus cases, the Sindh government has enforced what it calls a partial lockdown in Karachi from July 31 (Saturday) till August 8. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Provincial Corona Task Force on Friday, chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who later said that this lockdown is partial, and not like the one imposed earlier.
During this period, there will be a ban on inter-city travel and all markets will remain closed. Pharmacies and businesses associated with the export sector will be allowed to operate.
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Moreover, the Sindh government has also decided to withhold salaries of public sector employees who have not been vaccinated by August 31. Government offices will also be closed from next week.
Meanwhile, all scheduled exams in the province have been cancelled until August 8.
"All scheduled examinations from 31 July to 8 August of public and private sector universities and degree awarding institutions and educational boards in Sindh under the administrative control of universities and boards department, and government of Sindh are postponed," the notification from the province's Universities Boards Department.
A new schedule for these exams will be announced later.
The NCOC has also decided to take all possible measures to assist the Sindh government in combating the rising trend in the Covid-19 cases.
Measures being undertaken by the federal government include ramping up of critical care capacity, oxygenated beds and vents, and availability of oxygen in hospitals.
The NCOC also decided to ramp up the deployment of LEAs for the implementation of SOPs and NPIs.