The number of people dying of the coronavirus in Pakistan has fallen to a single-digit figure for the first time in three months, officials said on August 2, calling the drop a hard-earned success thanks to strict social-distancing measures.
The South Asian nation recorded only six deaths on August 1 and confirmed 553 new infections, the lowest levels since May, figures released on August 2 revealed.
And of all the people who are being tested, less than 5 percent proved to be infected during the past three weeks, on average, compared with nearly 25 percent in June.
In total, the country has recorded some 280,000 cases and confirmed nearly 6,000 deaths. So far, more than 80 percent of people infected with the disease have recovered.
In June, the government adopted a policy of sealing off virus hotspots in major cities, after a nationwide lockdown for nearly two months. The authorities have now enforced a weeklong shutdown that runs until August 5, to prevent the virus from spreading during the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha that was celebrated on August 1.
“We believe our curve has flattened ... and it is a hard-earned success,” said Asad Umar, the minister leading the nation's battle against the pandemic.