Coronavirus cases in Pakistan surge to 498
LAHORE: The coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Saturday surged to 498 as 267 patients have been tested positive for the epidemic in Sindh, 96 in Punjab, 92 in Balochistan, 23 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 in Gilgit-Baltistan, seven in Islamabad and one Azad Kashmir.
Pakistan has so far confirmed three fatalities from the pandemic, with latest casualty being a 77-year-old man in Karachi on Friday. The first two deaths were reported in Mardan and Hangu of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The death in Karachi was verified by Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho. The victim had no travel history and was admitted to a private hospital on Thursday in critical condition.
Number of coronavirus cases in Sindh rose to 267. The Sindh government has advised people to stay at home for three days and has set up an isolation facility at Expo Centre Karachi. The facility can cater to 1,100 patients who test positive for COVID-19.
Advisor to Sindh Chief Minster Murtaza Wahab tweeted, this is the Isolation Facility set up by Sindh Govt at Expo Centre Karachi. As of now, this facility can cater to 1,100 patients who test positive of #COVID19. I would again urge my dear citizens to quarantine or isolate themselves so that use of this facility does not come into play havoc
Advisor to Sindh Chief Minster Murtaza Wahab shared latest information and told that only 15 more patients were tested positive out of 287. He said people quarantine is working; we can actually help and protect each other from coronavirus by staying at home.
Have received the latest information at 11:30 PM, the total number of tests taken were 287 & only 15 came positive. People quarantine is working. We can actually help & protect each other from #COVID19 by staying at home.
It is pertinent here to mention that three patients of COVID-19 in Sindh have recovered so far and have tested negative.
Out of 96 COVID-19 patients in Punjab, 71 are pilgrims who have returned from Iran. 15 sufferers belong to Lahore, three to Muzaffargarh, three to Gujrat, two to Multan, one each to Jhelum and Rawalpindi.
Ten affected patients are under treatment at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital. The individual who has been tested positive in Rawalpindi had returned from Dubai a few days ago.
A convoy of pilgrims, comprising 33 buses and 1,270 passengers, has reached the quarantine center in Multan from Taftan. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Health Dr Munawar Abbas told that screening of all pilgrims is completed and no suspected case has been reported. An elderly woman, suffering from cholera, with cough and normal body temperature has been shifted to the Nishtar Hospital, he told.
According to the Balochistan Health Department, coronavirus patients in the province have increased to 92 after 11 new cases were reported.
Balochistan government has decided to impose partial lockdown across the province in a bid to minimize the spread of the deadly coronavirus. With most of the country’s cases originating from Pak-Iran border along Balochistan, the government has decided to limit public activity and movement to slow down the virus.
The notification says that in pursuance of decisions made in the first meeting of the core committee for COVID-19, the government has decided that all shopping malls and crowded markets shall remain closed. Inter-provincial transport and public transport buses will also remain closed, the notification read. These orders have been imposed for a period of three weeks.
Moreover, restaurants have been barred from letting customers dine-in and only take-away or home delivery services would be allowed.
