Pakistan reports over 5000 fresh Covid-19 cases; highest since April 29

The country is currently in the middle of what has been described as its fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan, which is in the grip of a fresh wave of the coronavirus pandemic, logged more than 5000 Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) informed on Sunday. This is for the first time since late April that the country's daily coronavirus caseload crossed the 5000-mark, local media reported.

FILE PHOTO: People gather to receive their coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine doses, at a vaccination center in Karachi, Pakistan. (REUTERS)

According to data provided by the NCOC, which is responsible for the country's response to Covid-19, 5026 people tested positive for the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative caseload to 1,034,837. On April 29, 5112 people returned positive test result for the viral disease. Fresh fatalities, meanwhile, were recorded at 62, taking Pakistan's pandemic related toll to 23,422.

Additionally, the latest test positivity rate was recorded at 8.8%, up from 8.46% during the previous 24-hour period. Also, federal minister for planning Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, tweeted to inform that Pakistan has crossed 30 million vaccinations, including 934,000 on July 31.

The country is currently in the middle of what has been described as its fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, driven primarily by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first detected in India, last year. Also on Sunday, new restrictions, that prohibit unvaccinated citizens from domestic air travel, as well as entry to government offices, schools, colleges, restaurant and shopping malls, came into force.

The fresh outbreak has also forced authorities to impose a partial week-long lockdown in the Sindh province, which began on Saturday. The situation is reported to be "serious" in Karachi, the country's largest city, and the Capital of Sindh.