Daily Times

The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 49,497 on Thursday, with 17,382 cases reported in Punjab, 19,924 in Sindh, 7,155 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 3,074 in Balochistan, 602 in Gilgit Baltistan, 1,235 in Islamabad and 148 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 1,052 lives while some 14,155 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.

A total of 697 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Punjab on Thursday, taking the provincial tally to 17,382. According to a spokesperson of provincial health department, 298 new cases belong to Lahore alone.

Balochistan reported 106 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to the provincial health department. The total number of infections in the province now stands at 3,074. Moreover, one more patient died of the virus in Balochistan, taking the provincial toll to 39.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that 30 per cent of the districts in the province are untouched by the coronavirus. He said that the government has extended the lockdown till June 2 and urged people to celebrated Eidul Fitr with simplicity.

At least 23 more people contracted with the novel coronavirus in Gilgit-Baltistan, bringing the tally to 602 in the region. According to health authorities, 10 patients have recovered from the respiratory disease.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recorded 340 new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 7,155, the provincial health department said in a statement. With 14 more deaths, the death toll in the province has swelled to 365, it said, adding that 2,198 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reported 960 new cases in the province.

At least 680 patients also recovered, taking the number of recovered cases to 6,325. The province’s death toll stands at 336.

He said 20 more patients have succumbed to the novel coronavirus in the province and 960 people have tested positive in Sindh in last 24 hours. “So far, the death toll from the virus has risen to 336,” he said. “The condition of 143 patients is critical and 33 patients are still on ventilators.”

He said at present 13,263 patients are undergoing treatment, out of which 11,735 patients are in self-isolation at their homes, 608 in isolation centres whereas 722 patients are undergoing treatment in different hospitals of the province. “on Thursday, 680 patients recovered and went home,” he said. “The number of recoveries in Sindh has reached 6,325.”

Providing a breakdown of the cases, Murad said that more than 700 new cases emerged in Karachi, of which 233 were in East Karachi District, 169 in South and 137 in Central, 97 in West, 86 in Korangi and 57 in Malir. He added that 22 new cases were reported in Shikarpur, 17 in Hyderabad and 14 in Larkana, CM Murad added. Sukkur and Qambar Shahdadkot nine cases each while seven cases emerged in Ghotki.

Eighteen doctors of the orthopaedic ward at Lahore General Hospital were diagnosed with coronavirus on Thursday after which the ward was closed for three days. MS General Hospital Mahmood Tariq noted that the ward has been initially closed for three days and is being disinfected.

According to reports, three doctors and two nurses of the Institute of Neuroscience have also tested positive for coronavirus.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar tested positive for Covid-19. “I have been tested positive for Covid-19. Would like to request all those people who have interacted with me in the past few days to get their tests done and take precautions accordingly. Request for prayers,” he tweeted.

Nine air hostesses and stewards of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) also tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. The air hostesses and stewards of a flight coming from Abu Dhabi to Multan and another one coming from Manchester to Lahore tested positive for the pathogen. Crew members of two flights arriving at Multan International Airport from Kuwait and Abu Dhabi also tested positive for coronavirus.

Two of the air hostesses and stewards have been quarantined at Lahore’s Civil Military Hospital, whereas seven have been checked into Multan’s Civil Military Hospital.