Gilgit-Baltistan declared Pakistan’s first coronavirus-free region

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Gilgit-Baltistan has become Pakistan’s first region of the country with no active coronavirus cases since March 10, announced the health department of the region on Thursday.

GB’s Focal Person for coronavirus Dr Shah Zaman said that the region, which had reported total 4,959 cases, witnessed no new case since March 10 after the last three patients recovered from the infection.

He said that the Gilgit-Baltistan managed to overcome the virus despite having limited resource and vowed to keep it under control with strict implementation of precaution and vaccine deployment.

Zaman added that report of tests conducted on Thursday will come out tonight.

Pakistan has reported 53 fresh deaths while as many as 2, 258 new cases of COVID-19 surfaced in different parts of the country, official figures showed on Thursday.

With the steady increase in coronavirus cases in Pakistan during the past few weeks, the coronavirus positivity rate has shot up to 5.36%, with daily cases in Pakistan crossing the 2,000-mark for the first time since January 29.

According to statistics shared by the government, about 42,164 coronavirus tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, out of which 2,258 people were tested positive.

According to the official portal, the number of deaths from coronavirus in the country has risen to 13,377, whereas, the total number of cases has climbed up to 597,497.

The number of active cases across the country stands at 17,627 as of today.

In addition, 1,276 patients have recovered from the virus across the country during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 566,492.

On Wednesday, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) put restrictions in public and private places as well as the educational institutions amid fears of COVID-19.

Addressing a joint press conference, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Dr. Faisal Sultan and Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said that 50 per cent attendance would be ensured in all state institutions.

Faisal Sultan declared the wearing of masks a mandatory and extended ban on cinemas and restaurants till further orders in April 2021.

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