Pakistan’s coronavirus cases surpass 1570: national dashboard

ISLAMABAD: The total count of coronavirus cases has jumped to 1571 and 17 deaths were reported including two people passed away today in Sindh’s capital Karachi, according to the national dashboard of Pakistan.

The latest statistics of COVID-19 cases showed the highest count in Punjab with 571 patients, 502 in Sindh, 192 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 141 in Balochistan, 116 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), 43 in Islamabad, two in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

11 patients infected with the virus are being said in critical conditions and some among them were put on ventilators. The patients who have recovered from the disease were 28 so far.

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Sindh reported two new deaths from the novel coronavirus, taking Pakistan’s total toll to 15 and the provincial tally to three.

Sindh Health and Population Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho confirmed that two more citizens have died from the novel coronavirus in Karachi. “One of the patients was 83-years-old while the other was 70-years-old,” she said, adding that both patients had pneumonia and COVID-19.

Sindh govt had confirmed 17 new COVID-19 cases of local transmission in Karachi on Saturday. There are now 189 COVID-19 cases in the port city.

Earlier in the day, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that 1,106 new suspected cases were reported within the last 24 hours, whereas, 420 patients were locally transmitted.

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The special assistant said 857 people out of total 1526 COVID patients arrived in Pakistan from Iran. 191 people came from other countries and 420 patients were locally transmitted. Two patients are from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and 130 in Balochistan.

“11 patients are in critical conditions who are being given special care in different hospitals. Some patients among them are put on ventilators,” said Mirza.

Zafar Mirza said that COVID-19 cases in Pakistan are less after analysis of the situation in other countries.

“At this time, the global tally of COVID-19 cases is more than 664,000 and more than 31,000 deaths, whereas, nearly 150,000 recovered from the disease.”

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Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to once again take the nation into confidence on Monday (tomorrow) on the coronavirus crisis and the measures his government has been making to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

He chaired a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) core committee today wherein Planning Minister Asad Umar and Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar gave a detailed briefing on the adverse impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the national economy.

It was decided during the meeting that the prime minister will take the nation into confidence and outline the nuts and bolts of his government’s strategy to deal with the coronavirus.