ISLAMABAD - The country yesterday reported 42 Covid-19 deaths — the highest single-day death toll since July as it also reported 2,843 new Covid-19 cases during the last 24 hours.

The pandemic’s second wave has hit the country with the authorities resorting to strict measures to contain the pandemic spread. The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) has said that 42,752 Coronavirus tests were conducted on Friday. The number of Covid-19 patients in Sindh has reached 161,028, Punjab has so far recorded 113,457 cases, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 43,730, Islamabad 26,177 and 16,699 cases have been recorded in Balochistan to date. Sindh remains the worst-hit province by the pandemic in terms of cases followed by Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Punjab has overtaken Sindh in most number of casualties. According to officials, Sindh reported 1,199 new cases, 17 deaths from Covid-19. The new cases of the Coronavirus have taken the provincial tally to 162,227. 

Islamabad, AJK and GB collectively reported 575 virus cases and 4 deaths during the last 24 hours. Islamabad reported 458 cases and 4 deaths; AJK 105 cases and GB 12 cases. 

Punjab reported 564 Covid-19 cases and 15 deaths during the last 24 hours. The provincial total has risen to 113,457 while the death toll is 2,826. KP recorded 371 cases and four deaths while Balochistan reported 57 cases. The provincial total in KP has risen to 43,730 while the death toll is 1,323 while Balochistan’s total has risen to 16,699 and the death toll 158.

Pakistan has reported 1,389 Coronavirus recoveries during the last 24 hours, according to the government’s portal for tracking the spread of the virus.