The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 47,270 on Wednesday, with 16,685 cases reported in Punjab, 18,964 in Sindh, 6,815 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,968 in Balochistan, 556 in Gilgit Baltistan, 1,138 in Islamabad and 144 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 1,009 lives while some 13,101 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.
A PTI member of Punjab Assembly (MPA) from Gujranwala, Shaheen Raza, passed away on Wednesday at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital after having tested positive for the novel coronavirus. She was shifted to the isolation ward of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, on Monday and was put on a ventilator after her condition deteriorated.
On Saturday night, she was quarantined at DHQ hospital after displaying symptoms of coronavirus. Her sample was sent to the laboratory and she was confirmed to have the virus on Sunday. The legislator had been inspecting quarantine centres for some time. Some days back, she fell ill and she got treatment from private doctors and was later shifted to the DHQ hospital. Doctors said that the 60-year-old MPA also suffered from diabetes and blood pressure issues.
Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari tested negative for the coronavirus on Wednesday, making a recovery from the disease. The deputy speaker said he has completed the time period for self-isolation and now shifted to his home. “I am grateful to Allah as my coronavirus test came negative,” said Mazari. The deputy speaker had tested positive for the virus on May 10. In a video message, Mazari said that he was keeping himself isolated and taking all safety measures. He asked everyone to pray for him and said he was not experiencing any symptoms.
Former Balochistan governor and member of provincial assembly Syed Fazal Agha passed away due to coronavirus in Karachi. Agha, who also served as deputy chairman of Senate, had remained associated with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) during his long political career.
The Balochistan Health Department, in its daily situational report, Wednesday confirmed 83 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours to bring the provincial tally to 2,968. At least 636 patients have recovered from the disease in the province with 38 deaths so far. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, in its daily situational report, has confirmed six more deaths due to coronavirus in the past 24 hours to bring the provincial death toll to 351. Three deaths were reported from Peshawar, and one each in Nowshera, Swat and Dir Lower. As many as 261 new cases of Covid-19 – 70 from Int’l flights quarantine center – were also reported, taking the total to 6,815. At least 72 more patients recovered from the disease to take the total number of recoveries to 2,130 in the province, while active cases stand at 4,334.
Setting a new single-day record, as many as 1,017 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Sindh taking the provincial tally to 18, 964. With 17 new deaths reported across the province the previous day the death toll of the province now stands at 316. As many as 6,164 tests were conducted on May 19 with 127 people said to be critical and 32 to be on ventilators.