Pakistan counts 201 dead in highest 1-day toll

Pakistani authorities on Wednesday reported 201 deaths from coronavirus, the country’s highest single-day toll of the pandemic.

According to National Command and Control Center, 5,292 new cases of infection were reported in the past 24 hours.

Since last year, Pakistan has reported 17,530 deaths from Covid-19 among 810,231 cases.

The current surge has forced the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to deploy troops to help ensure people follow social distancing rules in cities hard hit by coronavirus cases.

Pakistan is planning a lockdown in the worst-hit cities in the first week of May. Khan has resisted demands for a nationwide lockdown, citing its economic impact, but he has also warned that he will be forced to impose a lockdown if people do not stop violating social distancing rules.