The novel coronavirus keeps claiming lives across the globe and Pakistan remains no exception. Although the number of new cases has dropped in the last couple of weeks, still significant daily tallies are being reported every day.

Punjab remains the hotspot for Covid-19 infection. To curb the spread of lethal flu bug in the province, the government of Punjab has extended lockdown restrictions till May 30. The federal government has also asked the general public to strictly follow the SOPs put in place by the local authorities so that we can flatten the Covid curve in the country.

As of today, the latest statistics as provided by the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) - the nerve center to synergize and articulate unified national effort against COVID-19, and to implement the decisions of the  national coordination committee on COVID-19 - are as follows:

•Total cases reported to date have reached 886,184.

•Total number of tests conducted in Pakistan so far is 12,552,339.

•41,771 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours out of which 3,256 returned positive.

•Positivity ratio has soared to 7.79% in the past 24 hours.  

•Total Covid-related deaths reported to date have reached at least 19,856.

•Number of Covid-deaths reported in the past 24 hours is 104. 

•Number of critical cases currently present in the country has reached 4,549.

•With 4,440 patients defeating the deadly virus in the past 24 hours, the total number of recovered patients has reached 799,951.