Daily Times

The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients soared to 32,917 with 11,868 cases reported in Punjab, 12,610 in Sindh, 5,021 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,158 in Balochistan, 457 in Gilgit Baltistan, 716 in Islamabad and 87 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 733 lives while some 8,555 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, in its daily situational report, confirmed 10 new casualties due to coronavirus – five in Peshawar, three in Mardan, and one each in Swabi and Malakand – taking the death toll to 267. Some 146 new cases were also reported in the past 24 hours, to bring the total confirmed cases to 5,021 in the province. At least 49 patients have recuperated, taking the recoveries tally to 1,305, while number of active cases stands at 3,449 across the province.

Another 593 coronavirus cases and 18 deaths were reported in Sindh during the past 24 hours, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Giving his daily briefing on the coronavirus situation, he said, “4,064 tests were conducted during the past 24 hours out of which 593 came back positive. The deaths reported during this period is the highest toll since the disease first emerged in the province.”

A Covid-19 patient under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Hyderabad died last night, according to Deputy Commissioner Fuad Soomro. He said that the 70-year-old patient was a resident of Tando Mohammad Khan. He added that two members of the patient’s family had also tested positive for the virus.

Punjab recorded 300 new cases and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours, the province’s primary and secondary healthcare department said. The number of cases in the province has reached 11,868, while deaths are 211. According to numbers released by the primary and secondary healthcare department, Lahore, where 192 people tested positive, recorded the highest number of cases. Balochistan has reported 97 new coronavirus cases, according to the provincial health directorate. The number of total infections in the province now stands at 2,158.

MNA Ali Wazir has tested positive for Covid-19, his fellow lawmaker from Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar, shared on Twitter. “PTM’s (Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement) leader and our friend Ali Wazir has been tested positive for Covid-19. He is taking necessary precautions and is fine for now. We request everyone to please remember him in your prayers.”

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser was discharged from hospital after recuperating from coronavirus, he announced on Twitter. He thanked the nation for praying for his recovery.

The Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) principal seat and all other offices will be sealed from May 13 (today) to May 31 after several employees tested positive for the virus. According to the notification, two single benches will be functional during this period, while two principal staff officers shall work in rotation. Further, all principal seat staff shall submit an affidavit declaring that neither them nor their immediate relatives and neighbours are infected with the virus or suspected to be infected with the virus, it added.

Lawyer of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif in Ashiana Housing scam on Tuesday tested positive for the coronavirus.

The hearing of the Ashiana Housing scandal was held in the accountability court in Lahore with strict precautionary measures in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

The court on the plea of Nawaz Chaudhry, the lawyer of PML-N president, Shehbaz Sharif, Ahad Cheema and others, granted him exemption from the court appearance. Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the reference till June 5.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said on Monday that he will undergo Covid-19 test again as he completed 15 days in isolation. The governor said that he faced all symptoms of Covid-19 after he tested positive for the virus. “I felt that I am not infected with coronavirus during the initial days but the symptoms emerged afterwards. I will undergo for Covid-19 test again in one or two days,” he said.