617 more test positive for coronavirus, 15 die in 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday reported 617 new coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of reported cases to 289,832. 

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 15 people died due to coronavirus-related complications during this period, raising the death toll from the disease in the country to 6,190.

The number of active coronavirus cases has dropped to 13,633, while the number of recovered patients stands at 270,009.

During past 24 hours, as many as 17612 more samples were tested, taking the total number of tests conducted across the country thus far to 289832.

Read more: Coronavirus found in 70 % sewerage samples in Lahore

Thus far, 126,182 cases have been detected in Sindh, 95,447 in Punjab, 35,215 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12,295 in Balochistan, 15,390 in Islamabad, 2,184 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 2,502 in Gilgit Baltistan.

Phase-III trial of COVID-19 vaccine begins in Pakistan

Pakistan has begun phase III of the clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country after Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) approved the process.

A spokesman for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad said that the vaccine under trial is the one being prepared by Chinese biotech firm, CanSino Biologics, and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology.