STAFF REPORTER
ISLAMABAD The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Friday rose to 4695 on Friday after new infections were confirmed in the country. The virus has claimed 68 lives till now while at least 556 coronavirus patients have recovered, while 45 are in critical conditions . Punjab has reported 2,287 confirmed Corona virus cases, Sindh 1,214 and 620 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 220 in Balochistan, 215 in GilgitBaltistan, 107 in Islamabad, and 33 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The number of cases has continued to soar despite the country being under lockdown for the third consecutive week. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has appointed Khurshid Alam as “Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Corona Philanthropy Drive”. According to a notification issued on Friday, the focal person will serve in the honorary capacity and has been tasked to propose measures to encourage masses and the business community for “enhanced patronage of corona fund”. On the other hand only one case of novel coronavirus has been reported across Balcohistan on Friday. This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases to 220 in the province. The Khyber Pakhtukhwa government has extended public holidays till April 18 amid cornavirus crisis across the province. Essential service, however, will not be affected, according to a notification. Federal Minister Asad Umar, during the daily situation briefing held at the National Command and Operations Centre, has said all Pakistani nationals returning from Afghanistan will undergo testing and a mandatory quarantine period. He added that cargo movement between Afghanistan and Pakistan is limited to food and medicine and movement of cargo vehicles would only be allowed three days a week. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has said 586 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours and 86 tested positive for the virus in the province. In a video message, the chief minister urged citizens to stay at home and maintain social distancing to protect themselves, their families and friends. “Defeat the coronavirus by implementing government orders,” he said. Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab confirmed 1,214 positive cases in the province, with at least 358 recoveries and 22 deaths. He said in the last 24 hours, there have been nine recoveries. With a new case of Coronavirus in AJK, the number of confirmed cases has jumped to 34 in the territory. The latest cas was reported from Muzaffarabad distrcit, the first in the capital. Sources say the victim, a local PPP leader from Neelum Valley, was already undergoing cancer treatment in a government-run hospital at Ambore. The saddening aspect of the story is that he was being treated alonth with other patients, but without protective tools. Now a sense of fear has gripped not only the patients but also the doctors and paramedics who were treating the patient. Residents of the area near the city centre, where the hospital is located, are also frightened not only from the new development but also from the pathetic attitude of the government which is only busy in making tall claims but doing nothing practically to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
