“Statistics 26 Feb 22: total tests in last 24 hours: 53,625; positive cases: 1,207; positivity %: 2.25%; deaths: 14; patients on critical care: 1,117,” it said in a tweet.

The countrywide tally showed that Sindh reported the highest number of Covid cases with 567,000 infected patients, followed by Punjab (500,789), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (215,936), Islamabad (134,240), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (42,909), Balochistan (35,322), and Gilgit Baltistan (11,461).

Furthermore, the country's active cases tally also dropped to below 40,000 mark.

In related news, 212.2 million coronavirus vaccines have been administered to the people, according to the health ministry.

The forum, which serves as the nerve centre of the country’s unified efforts to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, on Wednesday revised Covid-related policy for passengers travelling to Pakistan, abolishing pre-boarding negative PCR test for fully vaccinated inbound ​travellers.

This policy, which came into effect on Thursday, states that vaccination is mandatory for all adult inbound passengers. Travellers below 12 years of age are exempt from mandatory vaccination. Passengers travelling to Pakistan between 12 to18 years of age are allowed to travel without mandatory vaccination till March 31.

Only non-vaccinated individuals over 12 years of age will be required to submit a negative PCR test conducted 72 hours prior to their travel.

A rapid antigen test for coronavirus will be conducted on arrival at border terminals and those who test positive for Covid will be asked to quarantine at home for 10 days.