Under 1,000 new infections
936 new cases and 23 deaths were reported countrywide in the last 24 hours, while 19,610 tests were carried out in all four provinces. Rawalpindi reported just one confirmed case while Islamabad, following a trend of gradually declining daily reported infections, experienced a slight uptick with 54 new patients recorded on Tuesday July 28.
23 COVID-19 fatalities
The Islamabad Capital Territory recorded one COVID-19 fatality in the past 24 hours, while Punjab reported nine. Six succumb to the virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as daily testing also considerably declined in the province.
Traders defy lockdown restrictions
Rejecting the Punjab government’s notification to close all non-essential businesses from July 28 to August 5, traders announced they will not close down shops during the smart lockdown. They argued that their businesses could no longer bear any more financial loss as a result of lockdowns, and that they will be deprived of crucial Eid earnings just when COVID-19 cases were declining in the country.