Daily Times

The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients soared to 151,883 on Tuesday, with 55,878 cases reported in Punjab, 57,868 in Sindh, 19,107 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 8,327 in Balochistan, 1,143 in Gilgit Baltistan, 8,857 in Islamabad and 703 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 2,896 lives while around 56,390 coronavirus patients have recovered.

Federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haque tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. After testing positive, he has isolated himself at the Parliament Lodges. The minister was currently in Islamabad to attend the budget session of the National Assembly. Health officials in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Tuesday reported another 40 cases of coronavirus to raise the state’s tally to 703. No deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The virus has claimed 13 lives while 290 people have recovered from the contagious disease in the region so far. Active cases stand at 400.

The Khyber Pakhtubkhwa (KP) health department confirmed another 24 casualties due to coronavirus in the past 24 hours to bring the provincial death toll to 732. At least 14 deaths were reported in Peshawar, two in Kohat, and one each in Mardan, Swabi, Buner, Dir Lower and Upper, Kurram, Bannu and Malakand. Health officials also reported 635 new cases of Covid-19, taking the total in the province to 19,107. At least 230 patients have recovered, taking total to 4,922. As many as 108,445 total tests have been conducted in the province so far.

Abbas Tariq, the head doctor of Institute of Kidney Disease Hayatabad’s Anaesthesia Department, Tuesday died of Covid-19, becoming the sixth doctor to have lost the battle against the deadly virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the Young Doctors Association (YDA), 460 doctors have contracted the virus in the province thus far.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission has announced a training programme for 1,000 workers at private hospitals, according to Radio Pakistan. In a statement, the commission’s chief executive, Dr Maqsood Ali, said that extensive training of doctors, nurses and paramedics will begin next week. It will focus on adopting safety measures against the virus and how to better manage viral infections, he said.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reported 2,287 new cases, raising the provincial tally to 57,868 on Tuesday. The chief minister said 33 more persons succumbed to the virus and the province’s death toll has reached 886. As many as 1,230 patients recovered on Tuesday, he added, taking the total number of recovered patients in the province to 29,245.

Due to the increasing number of cases in Karachi, the decision has been made to seal two union councils in the West District. The Sindh government had previously decided to seal off hotspots in the city and have permitted more than 15 areas in the city to be sealed.

Due to the increasing number of cases in Islamabad’s sector I-8 and I-10, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hamza Shafqat said a notification will be issued within 24 hours to seal the areas. In the last 24 hours, 200 cases emerged in sector I-8 and 400 cases in I-10.

Ten pilots and 40 cabin crew members of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) have contracted the virus. At least 50 more people have died from the novel coronavirus in Punjab on Tuesday, bringing the Covid-19 death toll in the province to 1,081. According to a spokesperson of provincial health department, Punjab reported 1,740 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections across the province to 55,878.