TARIQ SAEED
PESHAWAR The number of deaths from the coronavirus rose to eight on Wednesday after one more death was reported in Punjab. The national dashboard, maintained by the federal ministry of health, has not specified in which province the death has taken place. However, the Rawalpindi district administration had told a news channel that a woman diagnosed with Covid-19 has passed away from the disease. The woman had traveled from abroad and had been under treatment since March 21. Her body has been returned to her village for her last rites. Meanwhile, the confirmed number of cases soared to 1,067 after new cases were confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan. The Covid-19 confirmed cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa surged to 121 on Wednesday as 39 new coronavirus cases were reported from Manga area of Mardan where first death from the deadly virus was reported in Pakistan. Reports say tests of 46 people were conducted in Union Council Manga, Mardan, and out of those 39 people tested positive. KP Health and Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra in a tweet also confirmed that 46 people from Union Council Manga were tested for the coronavirus and that out of these, 39 people were diagnosed with Covid-19. Jhagra said adding four samples were rejected and all tested were asymptomatic. It may be recalled that only two days back the tally of confirmed Corona cases in KP was 38. It jumped to 78 on Tuesday as 39 Zaireen coming from Taftan were tested positive in DI Khan and 117 on Wednesday after 39 new cases were reported from Mardan. UC Manga is the area where Pakistan’s first death was recorded, and a lockdown was enacted. Sources said the person who returned after performing Umra and carried Covid-19 virus had arranged reception for the friends and family where he transmitted the virus to 19 people who have been tested positive. The 50-year-old man had died at the DHQ Hospital last Wednesday after arriving in Mardan 10 days before from Saudi Arabia, leading to the immediate lockdown of the union council. In the meanwhile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has sought support and cooperation of the people of the province in the fight against coronavirus. Talking to media at Shahkas Jamrod during his visit to District Khyber Mehmood Khan said we have to be united if we want to defeat the Corona,. “Once we are united, we will easily be able to defeat the threat of coronavirus,” he added. He said that more than 2,000 doctors have been appointed in the province and the government is currently recruiting volunteers. “These people are working on the front line.” Five new cases were reported in Balochistan, taking the provincial tally to 119. A total of 18 patients have recovered while seven died from the Covid19. While, Punjab government reported 16 new cases in the province taking the provincial tally of positive cases to 312. According to the Punjab health department, 176 of those cases are of pilgrims, Lahore has 77 cases, Gujrat 21, Jhelum 19, Gujranwala eight, Multan three, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad have two cases each. Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Sargodha have one case each. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Balochistan Faisal Asghar also said that the province has received four new cases taking the provincial tally of confirmed cases to 119 in the province. Sindh remains the worst affected province by the coronavirus in the country so far, with a total of 413 coronavirus cases. Islamabad has reported 20 and Azad Kasmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have 82 cases. The lockdown to counter the coronavirus pandemic in Sindh on Wednesday was tightened further on day three as shops are allowed to remain open from 08:00 AM to 08:00 PM only. Medical stores have been given exemption from the new restriction while shopping plazas and big markets in Karachi are closed as the Rangers have been deployed in the metropolis. Shopping malls, recreational places, private and government offices remain closed in Punjab. Only grocery stores, vegetable markets and milk shops are open in the province amidst deployment of heavy contingents of the police and Pakistan Army. Partial lockdown in the federal capital is being observed as well as all markets, restaurants and transport are shut down. It has further been decided to keep the metro bus service functional from 08:00 AM to 10:30 AM and from 03:00 PM to 05:30 PM. Inter and intra city movement has been halted whereas social, religious and other gatherings are banned. All small and big markets are closed along with public transport and metro bus service. Pillion riding has been banned. The lockdown will continue till April 7, 09:00 AM. Call centers are allowed to work with fifty percent workers and without any public dealing. Only those government employees are permitted to go outside who possess valid permits. One person from a family is allowed to visit the market to buy essentials and two persons to buy medicine and grocery. Two individuals are allowed to remain with patient in case of emergency while two persons including a driver are permitted to move outside with disabled people. People are allowed to perform religious rituals such as funeral prayers and burial of the deceased. Welfare organizations like Edhi, Saylani and those who provide free meals remain functional. Banks have been allowed to operate with limited staff, however, their timings have been reduced from 10:00 AM to 04:30 PM. If any bank employee is tested positive for coronavirus, the branch will be shut down but ATM and online services will not be halted.
