Pakistan: Coronavirus recoveries climb to 37%

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan recorded 37% recoveries of COVID-19 patients after more than 2,100 people were discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

According to the ministry’s daily report, recoveries increased by 2,161 to 61,383, while overall cases reached 165,062 with 4,944 new additions.

Pakistan has conducted over 1.01 million tests to date, the report said.

A total of 136 fatalities – the country’s highest daily figure also recorded on Wednesday – took the death toll to 3,229.

The report showed the mortality rate for critical cases has risen slightly to 2% from 1.9%.

Earlier this week, Pakistan announced it was considering using dexamethasone to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Zafar Mirza, special assistant to the prime minister on health, said the country had ample supply of the cheap steroid, which UK researchers have found reduces deaths by about one-third in patients on ventilators and one-fifth in patients who require oxygen.