ISLAMABAD: As the fifth wave of Covid-19 is continuously declining across the country, a little over 3,000 infections and 44 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours.

According to data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 3,019 persons were infected with the virus and the national positivity rate, which was in double digit last month, stood at 5.36 per cent on Saturday. Moreover, 1,640 patients were on critical care across the country.

“The coronavirus, or Covid-19, is inciting panic for a number of reasons. It’s a new virus, meaning no one has immunity. It is highly contagious, meaning it spreads fast. Its novelty means that scientists aren’t completely sure as to how it behaves since they have very little history to go on,” the NCOC website states.

However, according to exports, vaccination is the most suitable defence against the dreaded virus as it decreases the chances of hospitalisation and mortality.

According to the NCOC data, so far 194,492,475 doses of vaccine have been administered across the country. As many as 115,238,268 persons have received at least one dose of the vaccine out of which 89,853,639 have become fully vaccinated.

As the government has already allowed the people aged 18 years and above to get booster shots, till date 3,361,160 people have been inoculated with boosters.

So far over 29,731 people have died during the five waves of Covid-19 in Pak­istan.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022