Mask up: Fresh COVID cases in Pakistan cross 500-mark first time in three months

• Pakistan reports 541 new COVID-19 infections overnight.
• New cases push coronavirus positivityratio above 3% again.
• Number of patients being treated in CCUs surges to 100.

Pakistan's daily COVID-19 case count has crossed the 500-mark for the first time in three months amid a constant rise in recent countrywide spread of the disease, National Institute of Health, Islamabad's (NIH) data showed Wednesday morning.

The country reported 541 new COVID-19 infections overnight, pushing Pakistan's positivity ratio above 3% again. The new infections were detected after countrywide diagnostic testing on 15,462 samples, as per the data.

The COVID-19 positivity dropped to 2.4% as per the statistics issued on Tuesday. However, after the recent rise in cases, the country's COVID-19 positivity rate swelled to 3.5% in a single day.

Meanwhile, the number of patients being treated in critical care units (CCUs) also surged to 100, while one person infected with COVID-19 died in the last 24 hours.

With the new additions, the total number of deaths rose to 30,392 and number of active cases climbed to5,269.

Amid fears of a new wave of coronavirus, experts stress on:

• Vigilantly watching through good surveillance and testing.
• Communication around rising risk especially in urban settings.
• Advocating mask-wearing indoors in cities reporting cases that constitute over 5% positivity.
• Vaccination with emphasis on boosters.