Coronavirus death toll rises to 12, number of patients increase to 1,460

LAHORE (92 News) – Two patients died of coronavirus on Saturday, increasing the death toll to 12 across the country. According to data available with the National Command and Control Authority on Saturday, the number of total COVID-19 cases has reached 1,460. Punjab is leading the tall with 497 cases, while there are 457 patients in Sindh, 180 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 133 in Balochistan, 107 in Gilgit Baltistan, 39 in Islamabad and two in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 25 patients have recovered. Five deaths have so far been reported in Punjab. Keeping in view the rise in patients, the Punjab government has increased preventive measures. It has been decided to open the daily-use item shops till 8pm. Only medical stores will remain open round-the-clock. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said that the decision will be implanted from today. He said that the ban on public transport will remain effective, while the ban on transportation of eatables has been lifted.

Partial lockdown

On Friday, partial lockdown was imposed across the country as educational institutions, shopping malls, markets, restaurants, and other private business remained closed while inter-provincial and inter-city transport was also suspended. Factories, banks and the financial sector was directed to reduce work hours. The government also barred elder people and children from offering Friday prayers at mosques and issued guidelines for making lines with a specific distance. The novel coronavirus – which originated in the central China city of Wuhan towards the end of December 2019 – has spread to all continents excluding Antarctica. The COVID-19 respiratory illness caused by the mysterious contagion has so far killed thousands of people and infected tens of thousands of others across the globe. Though the deadly infestation has been contained by the Chinese government in Wuhan, the virus has now spread elsewhere, especially in Europe and the United States, with the World Health Organisation declaring Europe as the new epicentre of the viral disease. Pakistan, despite its close proximity with China, remained unscathed until February 26 when a young man from Karachi tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He had returned from Iran – one of the worst-hit countries. After a brief pause following the first case, COVID-19 cases witnessed a sharp surge as more pilgrims returning from Iran tested positive.