Pakistan has surpassed China in coronavirus cases as the nationwide tally of patients jumped to 87,462 on Thursday, with 31,104 cases reported in Punjab, 34,577 in Sindh, 11,890 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5,224 in Balochistan, 824 in Gilgit Baltistan, 3,544 in Islamabad and 299 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 1,791 lives while about 30,128 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.
China has reported 82,933 cases and 4,638 deaths since the start of the outbreak last December, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reported 1,667 new cases, raising the provincial tally to 34,577 on Thursday. Out of the 1,667 new cases, 1,311 cases emerged in Karachi.
The chief minister underscored that the provincial government has increased the testing capacity. In the last 24 hours, 20 persons succumbed to the virus, taking Sindh’s death toll to 575, he added. At least 764 patients recovered on Thursday, and the total number of recoveries in the province has reached 16,782.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Faisal Subzwari tested positive for coronavirus, he confirmed in a tweet from his official handle on Thursday. In the tweet, he said earlier his parents, wife and two daughters also infected with Covid-19.
Punjab reported 1615 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections across the province to 31,104, according to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
A spokesperson for the department said, 37 more deaths from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 607. The number of people recovering from the disease has risen to 7712 while a total of 254,259 tests have been conducted in the province (Punjab) so far, the department said.
Of the new infections, 724 cases were detected in Lahore, 153 cases from Rawalpindi, 32 in Gujranwala, 67 cases reported from Gujrat, 28 from Sialkot, 181 in Multan and 99 cases emerged in Faisalabad.
An associate professor at Services Hospital Lahore lost his life battling the novel coronavirus on Thursday. According to the medical superintendent, Hafiz Maqsood was hospitalized for the treatment after contracting the virus.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member Punjab Assembly (MPA) Mian Naveed Ali from Pakpattan tested positive for coronavirus. After the test result came back positive, the PML-N lawmaker has isolated himself at home.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reported 14 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the tally to 299. According to AJK health authorities, seven patients have so far succumbed to the deadly disease while 182 have recovered. Some 110 coronavirus infected people are being treated at different hospitals in the region.
At least 517 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 11,890. According to provincial health department, 21 lives were lost due to coronavirus including nine in Peshawar, three in Swat, two in Abbotabad, two in Kohat and one each in DI Khan, Mansehra, Mardan and Nowshera. About 71 patients have also recovered from the deadly disease, taking the tally to 3,221 in K-P.
Member of KP Assembly Jamshed Khan Mohmand has also contracted the virus. He has been quarantined at his residence in Safiabad.
