Pakistan reports 259 Covid cases, two deaths in a day

ISLAMABAD: Coronavirus has claimed two more lives in Pakistan during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 28,872, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 259 more people were infected with the virus.

A total of 42,640 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, out of which 259 turned out to be positive, showing an infection rate of 0.6 per cent.

At present, 656 critical patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country, the NCOC said.

READ: OMICRON CASES DOUBLING IN 1.5 TO 3 DAYS IN AREAS WITH LOCAL SPREAD: WHO

Earlier on December 17, it emerged that another suspected case of Omicron variant had been reported in Karachi, whereas, the infected man allegedly fled from the quarantine facility.

A 35-year-old man had tested positive for COVID-19 and was later confirmed as a patient of the Omicron variant.

The infected man had been spending a quarantine period in a hotel after arriving from the United Kingdom (UK) not included in Category C.

READ: OMICRON MORE LIKELY TO REINFECT THAN DELTA, NO MILDER: STUDY

It was learnt that nineteen persons were present at the said quarantine facility and sequencing of five out of 19 is still due but no security measures were taken there. Sources had revealed that 38 persons had fled from the quarantine facility so far due to the lack of security arrangements.

Later in the day, the second suspected patient of Omicron variant had been held and admitted to a hospital for isolation.

Pakistan had imposed a ban on travellers from those countries that came under Category C or reported Omicron cases.