COVID-19: Deaths hit double digit as cases continue to surge

Pakistan’s COVID-19 death count entered double digits in a single day after a gap of 4.5 months, National Institute of Health (NIH) data showed Saturday morning.

According to NIH, 10 deaths were reported in Pakistan in the past 24 hours, the highest number of deaths since March 4 when 11 deaths were reported.

During the last 24 hours, 22,451 COVID-19 diagnostic tests were conducted across the country, out of which 737 came back positive, resulting in a 3.28% positivity ratio.

NIH said 189 COVID-19 patients are still in critical condition and being treated at different medical facilities.

Experts blame two sub-variants of the Omicron variant, namely BA.4 and BA.5, for the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, saying that they have escape mutations that are giving them an edge.

They say the sub-variants have also been infecting people who are already vaccinated or have already been infected with COVD-19, but no evidence is available to show if they are causing any severe disease among the vaccinated.