The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 201,414 on Saturday, with 72,880 cases reported in Punjab, 78,267 in Sindh, 25,380 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10,261 in Balochistan, 1,4176 in Gilgit Baltistan, 12,206 in Islamabad and 1,003 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir so far. The virus has claimed at least 4,098 lives while around 88,358 coronavirus patients have recovered.
As many as 1,949 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in Sindh province overnight, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday, adding that the contagious disease has claimed 38 more lives, taking the death toll to 1,243. He said 11,901 samples were screened for the virus on the day, of which 22 per cent tested positive, lifting the total number of infections in Sindh to 78,267. He further said the recovery rate in Sindh has jumped up to 55.5 per cent as 43,444 patients have regained health against the virus, including 1,452 people overnight.
Meanwhile, the chief minister stated that 33,580 people were currently infected with the virus, of whom 32,127 were in home isolation, 1,375 were being treated at different hospitals and 78 were quarantined at different isolation centres. He added that 696 patients were said to be in critical condition, with 116 on ventilators.
Of the newly-reported cases, 1,139 belonged to the provincial capital, he stated, adding that 473 people were diagnosed with the virus in East district, 203 in South, 165 in Central, 134 in Korangi, 89 in Malir and 75 in West district. Moreover, Hyderabad saw 99 new Covid-19 cases, Ghotki 93, Khairpur 68, Sukkur 54, Shikarpur 46, Shaheed Benazirabad 45, Sanghar 32, Mirpurkhas 27, Larkana 25, Jamshoro 17, Naushehro Feroze 16, Dadu 15, Badin 12, Kashmore nine, Umerkot seven, Sujawal six, Tando Allahyar and Jacobabad three each, and Tando Muhammad Khan and Matiari two apiece.
The Balochistan health department on Saturday reported another 145 Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number to 10,261. With one more fatality, the coronavirus death toll has reached 114 in the province while 3,810 patients have recovered so far, said the health department in a statement.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday reported 437 new Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 25,380. According to provincial health officials, as many as 24 people lost their lives during the last 24 hours as the death total soared to 914. They further said that 345 more patients recovered from the deadly disease, taking the total to 12,149 in the province.
Another doctor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Naseer Ghazi, passed away after contracting Covid-19. He was undergoing treatment at the Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad and was in critical condition. KP health authorities said the total number of doctors who have succumbed to the virus in the province has risen to 12, and over 450 have contracted the deadly disease.
Punjab has reported 893 new cases and 27 deaths over the past 24 hours, the government’s Covid-19 portal said. The total number of cases in the province is 72,880 out of which 21,340 have recovered while 1,656 have died. Punjab has the highest death toll in the country.
Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir reported 285 cases and four deaths collectively according to figures released by the government. The capital reported one death and 225 cases. About 41 cases were recorded in AJK, taking its tally to 1,003. The region also reported three deaths. GB, meanwhile, reported 19 cases.
Around 2,738 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in the country over the past 24 hours. The total number of recovered cases in Pakistan stands at 86,906, while 2,729 patients are currently in critical condition.
