By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 1,775 on Monday after new cases were reported across the country. Punjab reported 45 new cases, taking the provincial tally to 638 from 593 from the previous day.
Earlier, the national dashboard had reported six new cases in Sindh; three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; three in Balochistan; five in Gilgit Baltistan and eight new cases in Islamabad. The country also reported two new deaths, taking the nation-wide toll to 19.
Sindh’s Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Pechuho confirmed the death of two more patients in the country.
“Both 52 and 66-year-old patients were residents of Karachi and had been diagnosed with COVID-19 three days back. The 66-year-old patient had renal issues and was on dialysis regularly and the 52-year-old patient had a respiratory problem,” the health minister said in a statement.
The new deaths in Sindh took the provincial tally to five. Punjab has reported the highest number of coronavirus related deaths, six, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded five. Gilgit Baltistan has reported two deaths while Balochistan has reported one death from the novel coronavirus.
Punjab has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country, 651, with Sindh coming in second with 566. KP has reported 221 cases, Balochistan 152, Islamabad 51, Gilgit-Baltistan 126 and AJK six. Two more patients have died due to coronavirus, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq said Monday.
According to the official, one of the patients, a 63-year-old man, had a travel history to the UK and was under treatment at an isolation ward at a government hospital for the past 2 weeks.
Further, a 55-year-old woman who was under treatment in Taxila also died after testing positive for the virus, he said, adding that the woman was also diabetic.
At least two more patients suffering from novel coronavirus died in Punjab here on Monday. As per details, one of the deceased belonged to Jhelum and was admitted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi, while the other COVID-19 patient hailed from Wah.
The total number of deaths by the deadly virus in Punjab has reached eight.
On Sunday night, another person fell victim to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Rahimyar Khan. “Sadly we have lost another soul to #COVID19 today,” Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said in a late-night tweet. “A 68-year-old lady who came from KSA and was under treatment in RYK [Rahim Yar Khan].”
The confirmed Coronavirus infection cases in the country have reached 1625.
These include 593 cases in Punjab, 508 in Sindh, 195 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 144 in Balochistan, 51 in Islamabad, 128 in Gilgit Baltistan and six cases in Azad Kashmir. 11 patients infected with the virus are being said in critical conditions and some among them were put on ventilators. The patients who have recovered from the disease were 28 so far.
Earlier on Sunday, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that 1,106 new suspected cases were reported within the last 24 hours, whereas, 420 patients were locally transmitted.
Punjab police took action against 57 shops and at least four eateries for violating Section 144 ever since it was imposed throughout the province back on March 15, a spokesperson said on Monday. The police were also alert about hoarders and profiteers, the spokesperson added, and were taking action against them in this regard. A total of 5,663 cases have been registered so far in Punjab over violation of Section 144 since March 15.
According to a police spokesperson, 153 cases have been filed over the violation of the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act. Further action was being taken against those artificially increasing the prices of and hoarding essential food and daily use items.
The spokesperson said 26,401 people had been checked so far at the 1,282 check-posts set up earlier.
Inspector-General of Police for Punjab Shoaib Dastagir in this regard instructed the regional and district police officers to speed up action against those violating the law and ensure that officers and personnel assigned on field duty adhered to preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic. On March 15, the Punjab government had announced the imposition of Section 144 throughout the province for three weeks after new cases of the novel virus were reported. All educational institutions in the province were to remain closed and the teaching staff would also not be permitted to enter schools, colleges, and universities. The provincial government has decided to keep parks, zoos, and picnic points closed for the public.
Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah has said that 10 people of the same family have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Nankana Sahib. In his video message on Monday, Ijaz Shah said the coronavirus affected people recently traveled to Saudi Arabia. He said in view of the situation, all residents of the area have been quarantined for 14 days. The Interior Minister said that the district administration has delivered food items to them at their houses.
