COVID-19: Pakistan reports highest daily deaths

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day deaths ever from the novel coronavirus, reporting 111 fatalities over the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

With the latest surge, the death toll in the country has reached 2,839.

However, at least 4,443 new cases of the virus were reported, down from 6,825 over the past 48 hours.

With new cases over the last day, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 148,921, the data showed. Some 56,390 patients have recovered.

According to the official statistics, Pakistan has so far conducted 922,665 tests across the country.

Health experts see the ever-increasing coronavirus cases as a result of the lifting of a prolonged lockdown late last month, warning that the country's already weak health system might crash soon if the tally continues to surge at the current pace.

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar, who is also heading the country's anti-coronavirus strategy, on Sunday warned the COVID-19 cases could grow over one million by the end of July if the current trends persisted.

Rejecting the World Health Organization's advice for a two-week strict lockdown across the country to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that a "smart lockdown" was the only possible option for the country in current circumstances.