Pak COVID-19 cases spike, country records 693 cases in past 24 hrs
Jul 23, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], July 23 : Pakistan reported 693 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 1,549,766, the country's ministry of health said on Saturday.
A total of 30,464 people died of COVID-19 in Pakistan, with two deaths over the last 24 hours, according to the ministry's statistics. On Friday, 23,423 tests were conducted throughout Pakistan, and the positivity ratio stood at 2.96 per cent.
Up to 180 patients are in critical condition across the country. Pakistan is currently witnessing a new surge in COVID-19 cases.
Experts said that the two sub-variants of the Omicron variant, namely BA.4 and BA.5, are responsible for the spread of COVID-19. They said that these variants have escape mutations that are giving them an edge.
Experts also said that 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 people, Geo News reported.
Amid fears of a new wave of coronavirus, experts advocated mask-wearing indoors in cities reporting cases that constitute over 5 per cent positivity.
They also stressed vigilant watch through good surveillance and testing, vaccination with emphasis on boosters and communication about rising risk, especially in urban settings.
