Staff Reporter
Islamabad
At least 15 more patients died of the novel Coronavirus in the last 24 hours in the country on Friday. This raised the number of fatalities to 6,499. The numbers of positive cases have reached to 313,431.
According to the latest figures by the National Command and Operation Center, 625 persons were tested positive for Covid-19 in 24 hours. Till now 137,467 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sindh, 99,605 in Punjab, 37,845 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16,650 in Islamabad, 15,302 in Balochistan, 2,754 in Azad Kashmir and 3,808 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
In Karachi, six marriage halls and 103 restaurants have been sealed for failing to comply with health guidelines and Covid-19 prevalence, the National Command and Operation Centre said on Friday.
In a statement, the body said all provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad Capital Territory, have been instructed to ensure the implementation of health guidelines and protocols for public health and safety.
Authorities have also been urged to crackdown on violations “particularly in restaurants and marriage halls as these two places are emerging as epicentres of the disease”, the statement said. Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar urged citizens to exercise responsibility to prevent putting people’s lives at risk.
“Indoor restaurants and marriage halls are emerging as high contributors to Covid spread. NCOC has directed all provinces and federating units to crack down on standard operating procedure violations in these places,” he said on Twitter. “We must not allow the irresponsible behaviour of some to put the health of everyone at risk,” he said.
A bank branch located in Karachi’s Zamzama area has been sealed after five staff members tested positive for Covid-19. According to a notification issued by the deputy commissioner south, the branch has been sealed until all staff test negative for the virus and the premises is thoroughly disinfected.
Meanwhile, PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bokhari has tested positive for the coronavirus, he said in a statement. He said he had started experiencing symptoms after participating in the first public meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement on Wednesday. He said he got himself tested, the result of which came back positive. Bokhari added that he has quarantined himself at home.
Punjab has recorded more than 100 cases for the second consecutive day. It has reported 126 new infections in the last 24 hours, up from 101 a day earlier, taking the provincial total to 99,605. Punjab has also reported two additional fatalities from the virus, taking the provincial death toll to 2,237.
