Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has warned that patient inflow at hospitals as well as the occupancy of critical care patients is the highest in Pakistan since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

In a tweet, the minister said that like the rest of the world, the Delta variant has also had an impact on Pakistan, and is rapidly spreading. This is increasing the burden on hospitals, he added.

The head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) also urged the citizens to follow the coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and vaccinate themselves.

Abdul Razak Dawood tests positive for coronavirus

The minister's statement comes as the country battles the fourth wave during which the active number of cases inch near the highest ever value of 108,642 witnessed during the first wave of Covid-19 last year.

During the last 24 hours, Pakistan reported another 4,103 cases, with a positivity ratio of 6.65%. Another 89 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours with the Delta variant taking a toll on the country's already fragile healthcare system.

Moreover, 4,874 recoveries were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 1,048,872.

At over 1.5m, Pakistan administers highest number of Covid-19 doses in a day

As Pakistan endeavours to curtail the spread of the novel virus, it is also rushing to inoculate its population, with the country administering 1,590,309 doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the highest in a single day, on August 31.

Meanwhile, 35% of its eligible population has so far received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The country has also started vaccinating citizens aged 17 with the Pfizer vaccine along with immunocompromised individuals between 12 to 17 years of age.