Corona cases reach 1331 across Pakistan

KARACHI: As many as 152 new cases of coronavirus appeared across Pakistan taking the tally to 1331 as Sindh has 440, Punjab 448, Balochistan 131, KP 180, Islamabad 27, Gilgit-Baltistan 103 and AJK 2 cases and so far 9 people dies of the pandemic.

The Sindh Health Department on Friday said that 19 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Sindh including 11 new cases of local transmission in Karachi, one new case of local transmission in Hyderabad and seven new cases in pilgrims from Iran in Larkana.

A spokesperson for the Sindh health department said that now total tally of Karachi had reached the figure 164 among 440 confirmed cases in Sindh.

Total 13 patients have fully recovered in Karachi and one in Hyderabad, while 153 are under treatment.

Three more persons were tested positive for coronavirus, raising the number of total confirmed cases to 31 in the Rawalpindi division.

According to the data shared by the Directorate of Public Relations (DGPR) Punjab, total 13 confirmed corona cases were reported from Rawalpindi district,17 from Jehlum district, one from Attock district, and none from Chakwal district.

Another 16 people from Gilgit Baltistan tested positive as tally of coronavirus patients rose to 103. While talking to media in Gilgit-Baltistan, Information Minister Shams Mir and Law Minister Aurangzaib told that so far three patients had been received and a Dr Usama met martyrdom.

Shams Mir said that all 16 patients of coronavirus had travel history and they were from Baltistan.

He said, “We are thankful to Chinese government, which donated medical equipment to GB government to tackle with current situation.

Meanwhile, a 1,000-bed field hospital would become functional at Expo Centre Lahore in a week.

This was stated during a meeting held to review strategy to contain spread of coronavirus and maintain supply chain during lockdown in the province. Provincial Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja, Chief Secretary Major (R) Azam Suleman Khan, Inspector General of Police Shoaib Dastgir and officers concerned attended the meeting, whereas all divisional commissioners and regional police officers (RPOs) joined the meeting through video link. The meeting decided that carpets should be removed from mosques for disinfecting them and space between rows in congregational prayers should be doubled by skipping one line.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan expressed satisfaction over the coordinated efforts of various government departments and the state institutions to contain COVID-19 pandemic in the liberated territory as only 2 of 83 corona suspects tested positive in AJK so far. The president reiterated appeal to the people to extend full cooperation to the state government and the law-enforcement agencies in making the preventive measures a success. “In all 83 suspected patients of COVID-19, 59 of them have been tested negative, two positive, and the test reports of 24 suspected cases are yet to receive,” the president expressed these views while talking to AJK Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana who called on him at the State’s metropolis and briefed him about the measures taken by the government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, AJK Presidential secretariat said in a statement released to media.