ISLAMABAD : Pakistan has recorded 64 more coronavirus-related deaths in past 24 hours, surging the overall death toll to 11,514.

According to the latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the COVID-19 has claimed 64 more lives and 1,910 fresh infections were reported.

In the past 24 hours, as many as 2,371 patients have recovered from the virus in a day and 2,147 patients are still in critical condition.
The total count of active cases is 33,295.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), with fresh inclusion of the infections in the country the national tally of cases now currently stands at 539,387.

A total of 40,821 tests were conducted across the country during this period. Overall 494,578 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far while 7,804,935 samples have been tested thus far.

Earlier on Wednesday, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had announced that Pakistan will launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive next week, starting with front-line health workers.

“Inshallah, the vaccination of frontline health workers will start next week,” Asad Umar, who is also the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), had said in a tweet.

“The system for vaccination is in place. Hundreds of vaccination centres in the country will be administering covid vaccine,” he added.

China had pledged to donate 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine made by the Chinese firm SinoPharm to Pakistan by January 31.

Pakistan has so far approved two vaccines for emergency use, one made by China National Pharmaceutical Group (SinoPharm) and the other by AstraZeneca.

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is also likely to get similar approval in the coming days.