Islamabad, Apr 28: Pakistan on Wednesday reported more than 200 deaths due to the COVID-19, the highest number of fatalities in a single day, according to the official data.

The death toll jumped to 17,530 after 201 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of National Health Services. It said that 5,214 patients were in a critical condition. India Records 3.6 Lakh New COVID-19 Cases in Past 24 Hours, Death Toll Crosses 2 Lakh.

The data showed that 157 people died on April 23, which broke the record of 153 deaths reported on June 20 last year. However, a new record was created within a week, showing the ferocity of the pandemic. In the last 24 hours, at least 5,292 new cases were reported, taking the national tally to 810,231.

The ministry reported that another 4,678 persons were reported as having recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the number of recuperated people to 704,494. The number of active patients was 88,207.

The authorities performed 49,101 tests in the last one day, registering a positivity rate of 10.78 per cent.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said that due to the increasing number of deaths and spike in the positive cases, Prime Minister Imran Khan might order a lockdown of the worst-hit cities.

The issue of pandemic was discussed in the Cabinet and the Prime Minister “directed that food supplies should be improved if we go for a complete lockdown,” he said.

The government has already postponed examination until mid-June to arrest the spread.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)