Corona cases rise to 233,646 with 3,344 new cases

ISLAMABAD: The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rose to 2,33,646 on Monday with addition of 3,344 cases. According to the government's Covid-19 portal, the total number of recoveries rose to 131,649 after 1,819 more people recovered in the last 24 hours.

Sindh reported 96,236 cases, Punjab 81,963, Balochistan 10,814, KP 28,236, Islamabad 13,494, GB 1,561 and AJK 1,342 till the filing of report at 11:55pm.

Punjab recorded 646 new cases, taking the tally to 81,963. The total number of fatalities rose to 1,884 with 13 more deaths. More than 45,000 people have recovered. The death toll reached 4,818 with Sindhreporting 1,572 deaths, Punjab 1,884 and KP 1,083.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said there had been a noticeable reduction in the number of cases reported from areas placed under the smart lockdown, the media reports. In a tweet, he said 10 to 15 coronavirus hotspots were sealed according to the prime minister's 'smart lockdown strategy' resulting in lower number of infections.

"Random sampling also showed encouraging results. Many areas have been completely reopened."

The chief minister said it had been proven that the spread of the virus had reduced in areas where people followed the SOPs. In Sindh, the confirmed cases rose to 96,236 with 1,708 more cases reported during the last 24 hours.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said 12,479 tests were conducted, out of which 1,708 came back positive, taking the provincial total to 96,236. Shah said 46 more people lost their lives to the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,572. He said 679 patients had recovered.

The total number of recovered people in the province has risen to 53,855. The province's recovery rate is 56 percent, the chief minister said. In KP, 120 new cases were confirmed taking the total to 28,236, while the death toll reached 1,083 after 10 more lives were lost (6 Peshawar, and one each in Dir Lower, Chitral Lower, Kohat and Karak), while 121 patients recovered taking the tally to 16,549. A total of 164,267 tests have been conducted in KP.

Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir said the provincial health system dealt with the influx of patients "splendidly". Addressing the media in Peshawar, he said the KP recovery rate was 58 percent. “We have seen very good results of smart lockdown. If we don't follow the SOPs, our cases will go back up again." Wazir said the chief minister had specifically directed the district administration to take action against the hoarders.

"We will have zero tolerance for [hoarding], we will take immediate action and seal businesses [doing this]." He also thanked the frontline media workers who, he said, stood next to the government and spread public awareness. "We are expecting very positive results from the way people are adopting SOPs and because of our smart lockdown policy," he added.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said the provincial government was in the process of drafting standard operating procedures (SOPs) for reopening educational institutions.

Speaking at a press conference, he said: "We are looking at whether we can open them in phases. We are trying to disinfect all educational buildings before Eidul Azha.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani has said that the province's coronavirus situation has improved. "The percentage of positive cases in the first week of June was 32 per cent. Now, it is 16pc," he said.

Meanwhile, SAPM on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza Monday tested positive for the COVID-19. He confirmed this on a social media website. In his message, he said, “I have tested positive for COVID-19. Under medical advice, I have isolated myself at home and taking all precautions. I have mild symptoms.”