Pakistan's coronavirus positivity was recorded at an alarming 6.12% during the last 24 hours, while the country reported 3,019 cases during the last 24 hours.

This is the highest positivity ratio since September 8 when the level stood at 6.43%, while the country last reported over 3,000 cases on September 10 when 3,480 tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the active number of cases jumped to 23,230, of which 651 are critical. Since the pandemic, Pakistan has recorded 1,312,267 Covid-19 cases.

The death toll has risen to 28,992 after five people succumbed to the novel virus during the last 24 hours. The recoveries from coronavirus has reached 1,260,045 after 346 more people recovered from the virus.

Meanwhile, Karachi's positivity ratio crossed 20% on Wednesday.

As per provincial health ministry as many as 1,223 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the city after tests were performed on 6,048 samples. “The ratio of Omicron variant being reported in Karachi has reached 95 percent,” they said.

Earlier, the Sindh Health Department decided to make face masks compulsory for all citizens in Karachi in view of the rapidly increasing cases of Omicron variant of the Covid-19.

A meeting chaired by Provincial Health Minister Azra Pechuho also decided to seal shopping malls and schools if unvaccinated persons are found in the premises. The meeting also decided to launch a special corona vaccination campaign for 14 days.

The vaccination teams would visit door to door to inoculate women at their homes, health minister said. The session also decided immediate vaccination of the children present in schools.

Meanwhile, the Covid positivity ratio in Lahore has also seen a surge after Wednesday’s data showed that the positivity ratio in Punjab’s provincial capital has reached above 7%.

Moreover, Islamabad and Rawalpindi have reported a positivity of 4%, each.

This report was first published in Business Recorder on Jan 13, 2022.