Prime Minister Imran Khan’s coronaviru
s test report came negative on Wednesday as the nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 10,244, with 4,331 cases reported in Punjab, 3,373 in Sindh, 1,453 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 552 in Balochistan, 290 in Gilgit Baltistan, 194 in Islamabad and 51 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 212 lives so far while at least 2,156 coronavirus patients have recovered.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday announced
that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s coronaviru
s test report was negative. “Prime Minister Imran Khan wa
s tested today for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus strain
that causes coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]). The test used was a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). I am happy to report
that hi
s test is negative,” she posted on her Twitter handle.
The daily situational report issued by the Punjab Health Department confirmed
that total number of coronavirus patients has risen to 4,331 with 103 new cases across the province. The total cases include 768 pilgrims, 1,883 Tableeghi Jamaat members, 97 inmates and 1,683 ordinary citizens.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wednesday reported 107 new cases of the novel coronavirus. At least three more persons died from the virus in the province, taking the death toll in the province to 83.
Seven more cases of Covid-19 emerged in Gilgit-Baltistan, taking the region’s toll to 290. Four pe
ople tested positive for the coronavirus in Gilgit, two in Nagar and one in Astor.
The provincial health department in Balochistan also confirmed two more fatalities to bring the province’s coronavirus death toll to eight. Fresh cases rose the Covid-19 tally to 552, according to the daily situational reported share on Wednesday evening.
Dr Shahbaz Gill, a spokesperson for the federal government, has said
that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal has been tested negative for coronavirus.
Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital Wednesday banned media coverage on its premises after a journalist from a local channel tested positive for Covid-19, said Dr Khalid Masood, the hospital’s director. “The said journalist displayed symptoms of the virus and wa
s tested, which came out positive. It is possible
that we might test other members of the media team,” he said.
Former Balochistan MPA and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Sardar Mustaf
a Khan Tareen passed away a day after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Tareen was on a ventilator in a hospital in Quetta.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza Wednesday said
that the next three or four weeks are ‘absolutely critical’ for Pakistan. He expressed disappointment
that people in the country are not taking guidelines ‘seriously’. He urged pe
ople to follow guidelines and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sindh Minister for Health Sindh Azra Fazal Pechuho Wednesday said
that the coronavirus cases in the country can reach its
peak in the month of May. She stressed
that social distancing is incumbent in the coming days and any lapse in vigilance can be detrimental. She
that there are strong indicators
that coronavirus cases will spike significantly in the coming months.