Pakistan’s Covid positivity rate stood at 2.23% over the last 24 hours, the fifth consecutive day in a row it remained below 3%, according to the National Command and Operation Centre data released on Wednesday.

“Statistics 2 Mar 22: total tests in last 24 hours: 34,296; positive cases: 765; positivity %: 2.23%; deaths: 22; patients on critical care: 981,” the NCOC said in a tweet.

The forum, which serves as the nerve centre of the country’s unified efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, also released the countrywide Covid tally. According to the data, Sindh reported the highest number of Covid cases, with 568,635 infected patients, followed by Punjab (501,758), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (216,273), Islamabad (134,442), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (43,014), Balochistan (35,352), and Gilgit Baltistan (11,512).

Despite the seeming downward slide in numbers, medical experts and the World Health Organization have exhorted people to follow the standard operating procedures in order to stem the spread of the virus. Moreover, they have also called for wearing masks even if the people have been vaccinated.

The NCOC on Tuesday allowed full occupancy at stadiums for the Pakistan-Australia cricket series that will be held in three cities of the country from March 4 to April 5.

In a statement issued by the NCOC, the Covid-19 monitoring body allowed people aged 12 and above who are vaccinated to attend matches. Moreover, children below 12 years of age who are not vaccinated are also allowed to watch matches in the stadiums, it added.

“Strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols by spectators and organizers be ensured,” read the statement issued by the NCOC.

According to the government, coronavirus-induced restrictions and countrywide vaccination have largely contributed to the prevailing Covid situation. The federal ministers in their several speeches, while quoting the world magazines, have taken the credit for the downward Covid trajectory and criticised the opposition for their view contrary to the world report.

However, last week, Pakistan dropped 15 places to last among the 53 countries on Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking due to “low level of inoculations, tight restrictions on unvaccinated people and weak healthcare infrastructure.”

According to the report, the ranking tracks the best places to live globally during the pandemic, scores places on 11 data points from virus containment and death toll to economic growth and reopening. In the latest edition, Pakistan dropped to last in the ranking and is given an average score of 49.8 out of a possible 100.

However, the report drew criticism from experts. Public policy expert Mosharraf Zaidi in reaction to the report had said: “This business ranking is so ridiculous, it is akin to disinformation.”

One of the Twitter users had also criticised the report.