ISLAMABAD : The novel coronavirus has claimed nine more lives across the country over the past 24 hours, surging the death toll to 6,736.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 832 fresh infections surfaced when 28,724 samples were tested during this period, lifting the national tally of cases to 327,895.

Overall 310,491 people have recovered from the disease so far. The number of active cases of the deadly disease has jumped to 10,668 in the country. 562 of the patients currently under treatment in hospitals across the country are said to be in critical condition.

So far, Sindh has reported 143,526 cases, Punjab 102,677, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 39,015, Balochistan 15,801, Islamabad 18,921, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 3,788, and Gilgit Baltistan 4,167.

On October 23, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had expressed concerns over the surge in coronavirus cases and mortality during the last five days.

The head of NCOC and Planning Minister Asad Umar chaired a session of the National Command and Operation Centre where provincial chief secretaries and officials of the health ministry briefed the participants via video link regarding the government steps and COVID-19 situation.