Daily Times

Pakistan has confirmed 87 deaths in a single day by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases surged to 250,977 on Sunday. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 5,257.

According to the latest figures, more than 2,400 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.

Sindh has become the worst-hit province by the pandemic in terms of cases, followed by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad.

Till now 105,533 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 86,556 in Punjab, 30,486 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11,157 in Balochistan, 14,023 in Islamabad, 1,658 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 1,564 in Azad Kashmir. Patients are under treatment at quarantine centres of 462 hospitals, where 7,295 beds are available.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that 1,713 coronavirus cases and 48 deaths were reported in the province during the past 24 hours.

In a statement, the chief minister said that the provincial total has risen to 105,533 while the death toll is 1,795. “Another 1,519 patients also recovered during the past 24 hours, taking the total to 60,958,” he added. Also, a doctor of Hyderabad’s Liaquat University Hospital has died of the coronavirus after giving birth, taking the total number of deaths from the virus to 70 in Hyderabad.

Dr Erum Zaheer, the registrar of LUH’s medical ward-III, was performing her duties before she was admitted to a private hospital for her delivery via C-section. She developed some complications after giving birth to a baby girl and was taken to another hospital but could not survive.

According to the Covid-19 focal person at the District Health Office (DHO) Hyderabad, Dr Zaheer died of Covid-19 which likely aggravated her post-C-section complications.

Moreover, Punjab has reported 565 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the government’s Covid-19 portal, taking the provincial total to 86,556. Punjab last reported less than 600 cases on June 29 when it recorded 576 fresh cases.

The province’s death toll has risen to 2,006 after 21 additional fatalities were confirmed. More than 55,000 people have recovered from the virus in Punjab.

Similarly, 408 new cases have been confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the total to 30,486. At least 12 more lives were lost (9 Peshawar, 2 Dir Lower, 1 Abbottabad) taking the total to 1,099. Also, 387 patients recovered taking the tally to 21,158.

Meanwhile, Islamabad has reported less than 100 cases for the seventh day in a row. According to the government’s Covid-19 portal, the capital recorded 96 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total to 14,023.

Gilgit-Baltistan reported 28 fresh cases while Azad Jammu and Kashmir confirmed 32, taking their tallies to 1,658 and 1,564, respectively. Islamabad reported five additional fatalities from the virus while AJK recorded one more death.

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani on Sunday said that provincial government policies are bearing fruits as a further decrease was recorded in the number of Covid-19 confirmed cases across Balochistan. In a statement, he said that new coronavirus cases have dropped by 50 percent in the province. He said that the tally of recovered patients has increased from the active cases and 64 percent patients of coronavirus have recovered. The overall tally of infections in Balochistan has now reached to 11,157 and the death toll in the province stands at 126, he added.

Also, Housing Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema has contracted the novel coronavirus.

The minister has been under treatment at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) since last night.

The sources said doctors treating Tariq Bashir Cheema have decided to keep him at the hospital for a few days.

A large number of ministers, government functionaries, and political figures have been affected by the virus since the pandemic began in the country. Lately, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

“I have tested positive for COVID-19,” he tweeted, adding that he had mild symptoms of the highly contagious disease. “Under med advice I have isolated myself at home & taking all precautions,” he said.

According to the government’s database on coronavirus, 3,566 more people have recovered from Covid-19 in Pakistan. This has taken the total number of recovered people to 156,700.

On the other hand, all three halls of Expo Centre Field hospital in Lahore have been closed after Covid-19 patients receiving treatment at temporarily built field hospital discharged on Sunday.

According to details, all coronavirus patients receiving treatment at the Expo Centre Field Hospital discharged after being fully recovered from the deadly virus.

The Punjab government established 990-bed isolation facility and 10-bed High Dependency Unit at the Lahore Expo Centre, while 110 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff had been appointed at a field hospital to look after virus patients.

Sources said that due to the Punjab government’s home isolation policy, many Covid-19 patients isolated themselves at their homes.

“The Expo Centre Field Hospital will remain functional for two more months.

Earlier on July 9, Expo Centre had forwarded Rs 550 million bill to the provincial government for renting the place for a few months amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

According to sources privy to the development, the rent is being charged after the provincial government acquired the premises to form a field hospital in the vicinity for coronavirus patients.