By Sajjad Hussain
Pakistan reported more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single day spike since June last year, the health ministry said on Friday.
The Ministry of National Health Services said that 83 people died in this period, taking the death toll to 14,613.
The COVID-19 tally reached 678,165 with 5,234 more individuals contracting the contagion, it said.
The new cases were the highest since June 20 last year.
Punjab remains the worst-hit province in terms of deaths followed by Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Most numbers of cases have been reported in Sindh.
Till now, 265,917 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 225,953 in Punjab, 89,255 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 59,401 in Islamabad, 19,610 in Balochistan, 12,984 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and 5,045 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
So far, 6,485 deaths have been reported in Punjab, 4,504 in Sindh, 2,382 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 209 in Balochistan, 572 in Islamabad, 358 in PoK and 103 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The authorities have so far conducted 10,297,544, tests, including 50,170 in the last 24 hours.
The data showed that 607,205 patients have recovered whereas 3,384 are critical.
Meanwhile, Dawn news reported that a local pharmaceutical company has signed a deal with a Chinese firm to supply and produce a COVID-19 vaccine in Pakistan.
Searle Company has concluded an exclusive licensing and supply agreement with Livzon Mapharm Inc. for the Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (V-01). The licensing agreement also covers the manufacturing transition of (V-01) in Pakistan, the company said.
The vaccine was in the final phases of its trial.
The Pakistan government is facing low supplies of COVID-19 vaccination. Currently, it is totally dependent upon China for the vaccines. ( PTI )
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