Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The countrywide tally of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has jumped to 160,118 after 5,358 new infections were detected in the country over the past 24 hours while 118 more people succumbed to the deadly disease.
So far, 60,138 cases have been detected in Punjab, 59,983 in Sindh, 19,613 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 8,794 in Balochistan, 9,637 in Islamabad, 740 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1,213 in Gilgit Baltistan, according to data released by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).
With 118 more Covid-19 related fatalities recorded over the past 24 hours, the number of people dying from the disease in the country has soared to 3,093. A total of 5,358 new cases were detected when 31,500 tests were conducted during this period.
The number of people defeating the deadly virus has reached 59,215. So far, 982,012 tests have been conducted across the country.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday 48 more people died of the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours – the highest number of fatalities in the province since the outbreak of the virus. In a statement on the coronavirus situation, he said the number of people who have succumbed to the virus in Sindh has soared to 964. 2,286 new cases of the coronavirus emerged, raising the provincial tally to 62,269, he added. CM Murad said 2,286 new infections were detected when 11,044 tests were conducted over the previous 24 hours. Thus far, 340,487 tests have been conducted in the province, he disclosed. He said 664 patients are in critical condition, of them 97 are on ventilators. CM Murad Ali Shah said a total of 28,705 patients are in home isolation, 64 at isolation centers and 1,502 at various hospitals. Providing a district-wise breakdown of cases, he said Karachi recorded 1,395 out of the 2,286 new infections, adding district East saw 462 new cases, Malir 108, district South 335, district Central 197 Korangi 116, and West 177. He said Hyderabad recorded 106 new cases, Khairpur 72, Ghotki 64, Nawabshah 59, Larkana 43, Kashmore 28, Jamshoro 26, Dadu 22, Sanghar 20, Jacobabad 14, Thatta 8, and Tando Allahyar seven.
pharmacies will remain open in these areas.
Meanwhile, in Faisalabad, the district administration failed to make the smart lockdown a success as per government orders and 8 markets could not be sealed despite government orders.
In Kasur, various union councils had been sealed due to spike in coronavirus cases and smart lockdown has also been imposed in Gujranwala where entry and exit routes have been closed by placing barriers.
In Multan, three areas including MDA Chowk, Shah Rakn Alam Colony and two blocks of New Multan have been sealed off due to the threat of Coronavirus.
NCOC identifies 20 cities affected most by Covid-19
On June 15, the NCOC said it identified 20 big cities including Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, DG Khan, Ghotki, Swat, Malakand, Mardan with potential hotspots for the coronavirus pandemic, which has already infected 144,478 people across the country.
According to details, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has taken important steps to identify 20 most affected cities of the country under testing, tracing and quarantine strategy against coronavirus hotspots.
The NCOC has issued instructions that special attention needs to be paid to these 20 cities and swift action is required in view of the rapidly increasing coronavirus cases.
The report said that more than 300 corona cases were reported in G-9/2 and G-9/3 areas of Islamabad. In addition, I-8, I-10, Ghauri Town, Bara Kahu, G-6 and G-7 areas are newly identified hotspots.
The NCOC said that in cities where increasing cases of coronavirus have been identified, safety and precautionary measures need to be tightened.
