Pakistan registered its highest single day increase in the coronavirus cases with 1,297 new infections, taking the total number to 18,114, officials said on Saturday.
Thedeath toll due to the viral infection jumped to 417 with 32 fatalities recordedin the last 24 hours, the Ministry of National Health Services said.
Asmany as 4,715 patients have been recovered, it said.
Arecord number of 1,297 new COVID-19 patients were added in a single day onFriday, the ministry said.
Officials,however, said the spike in the COVID-19 cases is not surprising as it is due tothe increase in the coronavirus tests.
As manyas 193,859 tests have been conducted so far, including 9,164 in the last 24hours, they said.
SpecialAssistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza told reporters that Pakistan is increasingits testing capacity. He said thecoronavirus is still under control in the country and the death rate due to thedisease is also lower.
“Pakistan’sdeath rate is still less than the projected numbers and secondly when we seethe worldwide situation, it is far less than that. If you take care ofyourself, it is guaranteed that you and your family will stay safe,” he said.
Of the total 18,114 cases, Punjab registered the highest number of 6,733, followed by Sindh at 6,675, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 2,799, Balochistan 1,136, Islamabad 365, Gilgit-Baltistan 340, the health ministry said.
PrimeMinister Imran Khan on Saturday launched the second phase of the cash programmefor those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
Khansaid he is personally monitoring the distribution of the corona relief fund toensure transparency
“Sofar Rs 81 billion have been distributed to people…I am personally monitoringthis process,” he said, launching the second phase of the Ehsaas cashscheme.
Thefirst phase was launched last month. A fund of Rs 144 billion has been setaside for the scheme.
Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar told media that as part of the measures initiated for businesses facing the heat of the pandemic, the government will pay three-month electricity bills for firms whose consumption is between five and 70KW per month.