4000 test positive: Record jump in corona cases

ISLAMABAD: With no signs of coronavirus pandemic going away anytime soon, Pakistan on Tuesday reported a record number of 3,938 new coronavirus cases with 79 deaths over the last 24 hours.

Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Haji Ghulam Murtaza Baloch and MMA MNA Munir Khan Orakzai were also among the victims who died of coronavirus on Tuesday.

The latest surge in cases takes the nation-wide tally of reported cases to 78,290 while the death toll stands at 1,653. According to statistics, Pakistan has broken its previous record number of new COVID-19 cases reported over 24 hours, 3,039, on May 31.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan reported its most number of deaths during 24 hours with 88 new fatalities, however, given the swelling number of coronavirus cases, doctors and health experts have warned that the number of cases will continue to rise unless a strict lockdown is not imposed.

Sindh and Islamabad also recorded the highest number of cases reported over 24 hours with 1,402 and 304, respectively, on June 1. However, Punjab reported the most number of deaths and new cases reported over 24 hours with 1,610 cases and 43 new fatalities due to the COVID-19. Now the tally of infections in Sindh stands at 31,086, Punjab 27,850, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 10,027, Balochistan: 4,514, Islamabad Capital Territory 2,893, Gilgit-Baltistan 779 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir at 271.

Out of total 1,653 countrywide deaths, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 490 deaths, Punjab 540, Sindh 526, Balochistan 49, Gilgit-Baltistan 12, Islamabad Capital Territory 30 and AJK has reported six deaths. Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Haji Ghulam Murtaza Baloch passed away on Tuesday after battling coronavirus, the provincial government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said. Announcing the sad news on Twitter, Murtaza Wahab said, "He (Ghulam Murtaza) was a genuine political worker & a very polite and humble human being. May Allah SWT bless his soul.” The PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed grief on the death of the party’s Malir district president. "It is very difficult to fill the vacuum created due to his death," Murad Ali Shah said.

Ghulam Murtaza Baloch had contracted the virus during relief activities in his hometown on May 14 and had requested for the prayers for a speedy recovery. He was elected to the Sindh Assembly from PS-88 Malir-II in July 2018 elections.

Baloch was moved to the intensive care at a private hospital in Karachi after his condition deteriorated on May 23.

Member of the National Assembly Munir Orakzai, who tested positive for COVID-19 in April and had fallen ill during a session of the Lower House last month, passed away on Tuesday, confirmed the lawmaker’s nephew Irfanullah.

According to Irfanullah, the family got to know that the MMA lawmaker had passed away after he did not wake up for the Fajr prayers and was pronounced dead by doctors after being taken to the Civil Hospital in Thall.

Munir Orakzai had fallen ill during a session of the Lower House on May 15 after recovering from the coronavirus.

The MMA lawmaker, who had arrived to attend a session of the Parliament in a wheelchair, fell ill during the session. He was shifted to the Polyclinic Hospital from the National Assembly immediately.

In April, Orakzai's son Akhtar Munir had confirmed to Geo News that his father had contracted the coronavirus and was undergoing treatment at the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar.

Akhtar had further said that his father had contracted the virus after coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.

The PPP senior leader in Sindh Senator Maula Bux Chandio has also tested positive for coronavirus after which he went into self-isolation.

"My wife and son have also tested positive for the virus," Chandio said, adding: "I am spending time reading books."

Furthermore, he said that he was "fine". Media reports said two sons of Maula Bux Chandio, his wife, daughter-in-law and a domestic female servant have also contracted coronavirus.

Several high-ranking government functionaries including federal minister Sheharyar Afridi, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and provincial minister Saeed Ghani were also tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the GDA MPA Moazam Abbasi and PPP leader from Badin Haji Taj Muhammad Mallah have also tested positive for COVID-19.