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Nationwide, there are now 35,788 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 9,695 recoveries and 770 deaths
Pakistan’s confirmed cases of coronavirus reached 35,788 on Thursday, as the country recorded 1,452 new infections in 24 hours against 883 recoveries and 33 deaths, leaving 25,323 active cases of the disease.
Planning Minister Asad Umar, during a meeting of the National Command and Operations Center on Wednesday, said that citizens must now take individual responsibility to ensure they adhere to the social distancing guidelines issued by the government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
He said the government had decided to ease lockdown restrictions, as it had to overcome coronavirus, hunger and poverty, but warned that this did not mean the threat from the contagion was over.
Confirmed Cases, Total – 35,788 (Tests: 330,750)
Punjab – 13,561 (Tests: 145,921)
Sindh – 13,341 (Tests: 103,343)
Balochistan – 2,239 (Tests: 15,283)
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – 5,252 (Tests: 32,268)
Islamabad – 822 (Tests: 21,881)
Gilgit-Baltistan – 482 (Tests: 7,868)
Pakistan-administered Kashmir – 91 (Tests: 3,229)
Deaths – 770
Recoveries – 9,695
In a press conference on Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s emergencies director warned that the novel coronavirus might never “go away” and could just remain another endemic virus in communities that the world would have to learn to live with. “Many countries would like to get out of the different [lockdown] measures,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But our recommendation is still the alert at any country should be at the highest level possible,” he said, adding that there was no way to guarantee that easing restrictions would not trigger a second wave of infections.
Punjab
Pakistan’s most populous province on Thursday reached 13,561 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus against a death toll of 223. Thus far, the province has also reported 4,636 recoveries, leaving 8,702 active cases.
Lahore has been described as the epicenter of the coronavirus in Punjab, with the provincial capital reporting 178 new infections in the past 24 hours, raising its total number of confirmed cases to 6,699.
Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal on Wednesday conducted a tour of some of Lahore’s major markets, admitting that traders were not adopting the social distancing guidelines issued by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19. He said the government would seal off the stores and markets that continued to violate SOPs.
Sindh
In Karachi, authorities sealed off major markets over violations of the government’s SOPs, with provincial lawmakers saying they would not risk people’s lives to resume business activities.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sindh on Wednesday rose to 13,341. Additionally, the province raised its casualties to 234, while its recoveries rose to 2,835. Overall, the province now has 10,272 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
The Peshawar High Court this week announced it would not hear any cases from the principal seat till May 31 after at least 11 staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. Two single-member benches would continue to hear bail pleas during the period, according to a notification issued by the High Court registrar.
The notification said the decision to shutter the court was taken by the Chief Justice in public interest and to protect the judges, officers and staff of the principal seat from coronavirus.
The province still continues to report the highest fatality rate in Pakistan, reaching 275 deaths on Thursday morning. Overall, the province has now recorded 5,252 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with 1,392 recoveries.
It currently has 3,585 active cases.
Balochistan
The province has thus far reported 2,239 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with 27 deaths and 326 recoveries. It currently has 1,886 active cases of COVID-19. It did not report any new deaths in the past 24 hours, raising hopes its lockdown restrictions are paying off.
Provincial capital Quetta is the hub of the virus in the region, accounting for 87.7 percent of all confirmed cases, according to the Balochistan Health Department.
Federal Areas
Islamabad on Thursday raised its confirmed COVID-19 infections to 822, with 6 deaths and 100 recoveries. Presently, the Islamabad Capital Territory has 716 active cases of the novel coronavirus.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, cases of the novel coronavirus rose to 482, with no new deaths and 6 new recoveries. Overall, it now has 4 deaths and 337 recoveries, leaving 141 active cases.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the total number of confirmed cases has increased to 91. The region has recorded no new deaths and 1 new recovery in the past 24 hours. It currently has 1 death and 69 recoveries, leaving 21 active cases of the virus.
Global Scenario
Globally, the virus has now infected more than 4,429,880 people, with over 298,170 reported deaths. Governments across the world have halted flights, locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home, but there are signs of easements to help shuttered economies recover. Overall, around 1,659,790 patients of the 4.4 million+ infected have recovered thus far.