ISLAMABAD, May 31 (Xinhua) - Pakistan recorded 2,117 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 43 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Monday morning.

The new infections raised the total tally to 921,053, including 841,241 recoveries and 59,033 active cases across the country, the NCOC said in a statement, adding that 3,947 patients are in critical condition.

The death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 20,779, said the NCOC.

The eastern Punjab province is the worst hit region by the coronavirus epidemic in Pakistan, with 339,686 confirmed cases including 9,999 deaths.

Pakistan has started to ease its COVID-19 restrictions with the overall COVID-19 positivity rate having remained below 5 percent for the 7th day on Sunday.

Punjab's education department has announced opening educational institutions by June 7 and issued a notification on Sunday for schools to open for 10th-grade and 12th-grade students from Monday.