Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan on Saturday has the highest 96 fatalities from novel coronavirus in one day and the confirmed cases reached 68,283 with the reporting of more than 3,000 new cases from all over the country.
The tally of fatalities jumped to 1,441 as Sindh reported 38 deaths, Punjab 29, Balochistan 16, KP 8, Islamabad 2, G-B 2 and one person expired in Azad Kashmir.
The Punjab province has 24,104 cases, Sindh 27,360, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 9,540, Balochistan 4,087, Gilgit-Baltistan 660, Islamabad 2,192 and 234 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah revealed on Saturday the province’s coronavirus mortality rate had risen from 1.6% to 1.7% as it registered record 38 deaths in 24 hours.
“Now, the situation is a little worrisome as 522 patients recovered and 1,247 [were] admitted. This means there is a wide difference between admission and discharge — the health system is coming [under] pressure,” Shah noted.
The province along with recording 38 deaths, registered 1,247 new infections bumping the provincial death toll to 465 and overall cases to 13,623.
The provincial chief said that the situation is moving from “bad to worse” as during the last two days 69 precious lives have been lost. “This is quite painful and unbearable for the aggrieved families. I am sorry to say that 310 patients [are] in critical condition while 68 of them have been shifted to ventilators,” he said.
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani on Saturday said that record 16 people have died from Covid-19 in the province during the past 24 hours.
Punjabhas reported 1,140 new coronavirus cases, taking the provincial tally to 24,104. It has also reported 29 additional deaths for the second consecutive day. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Coronavirus measures on Saturday, which decided to ease the lockdown restrictions imposed due to the novel coronavirus. Under government recommendations, the administration, police and traffic wardens will be able to warn people who do not cover their mouths and noses.
Meanwhile, the administration of Gilgit has imposed a ban on entry into the city till further notice after the coronavirus outbreak seemingly got out of control. Anyone wanting to enter the city will now have to have a valid no objection certificate to do so.
District administration has also announced the imposition of a total lockdown starting today.
