Punjab reports 94 new coronavirus cases, four more deaths

LAHORE: 94 new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Punjab, taking the provincial tally to 3,504, according to a spokesperson for the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.

Four more people succumbed to the deadly virus, pushing the number of deaths from the contagion to 41.

The spokesperson said 34 of the new cases were detected in Lahore, while 20 were reported from Sialkot, four each from Jhang and Multan, three each from Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, two from Rahim Yar Khan and one each from Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi.

Earlier today, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal said the government has increased the number of labs conducting coronavirus tests across the country to 50.

Speaking during ARY News’ Aitaraz Hai talk show, he said the country’s Covid-19 testing capacity has also gone up to 65,000 tests per day. He added 18 more labs will be functional by the end of this month with every division or district to have a coronavirus testing lab by the middle of the next month.

There are 700,000 testing kits available in the country at present, the NDMA chief said, ruling out any shortage of kits. He maintained the labs have the capacity to conduct 20,000 tests in a day.