Deadly coronavirus wave kills 100 in Pakistan for first time in over three months

• Pakistan reports 100 deaths from coronavirus after a hiatus of nearly three months.
• The country last reported 100 deaths on December 23, 2020.
• Health experts have raised concerns over the mushrooming cases as Pakistan has reported 663,200 COVID-19 cases so far.

Pakistan reported on Tuesday 100 deaths from coronavirus after a hiatus of over three months.

The country last reported 100 deaths on December 23, 2020.

According to the data provided on the National Command and Operation Centre's (NCOC) official website, about 100 people lost their lives to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the countrywide death tally to 14,300.

About 92 patients lost their lives in various hospitals across country, among whom eight were on life support systems.

Health experts have raised concerns over the mushrooming cases as Pakistan has reported 663,200 COVID-19 cases so far.

The number of active cases stands at 600,278 with the nationwide recoveries rising to 600,278.

Complete ban on wedding functions from April 5 onwards

Amid the rising cases, the NCOC on Sunday had announced a complete ban on holding wedding functions — both indoor and outdoor — starting April 5, in areas that have a three-day rolling average of an 8% positivity ratio.

Read more: Coronavirus in Pakistan: Positivity ratio shoots past 11% as third wave shows no signs of abating

The coronavirus monitoring body took the decisions in a meeting held on Sunday.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister of Planning and Development Asad Umar. Chief ministers of all four provinces attended it via video link.

Read more: Rising number of infants, teens contracting coronavirus seen in Punjab

The NCOC announced a "complete ban on marriages (including indoor and outdoor) from 5th April onwards".

"However, provinces will be at liberty to implement restrictions in early time frame as per the situation on the ground," read the NCOC statement.

The NCOC said that the government is also mulling the prospects of more restrictions on inter-provincial travelling. "Various options for reduction of inter-provincial transport were considered," said the statement.