Pakistan recorded its third death from the coronavirus, with the nationwide tally at 467 after Punjab reported 16 new cases in the province.
Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho Friday morning confirmed the death of a 77 year old COVID-19 patient in the province. The confirmation takes the total number of virus deaths in Pakistan to three.
The minister said the patient was a cancer survivor and had diabetes and hypertension when he contracted the virus. She added that the patient did not have any travel or contact history.
While, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar confirmed that Punjab has reported 16 new cases of the coronavirus in the province taking the provincial tally 96.
Usman Buzdar✔@UsmanAKBuzdar
I can confirm that there are currently 96 #COVID19 positive cases in Punjab.
Out of which 71 are Zaireen, 15 in Lahore, 2 in Multan, 3 in Muzafargarh, 3 in Gujrat and 1 each is in Rawalpindi and Jehlum.Please practice #SocialDistancing and stay safe during this Global Pandemic!
The CM said that 71 of those cases were found in the pilgrims returning from Iran, 15 from Lahore, two in Multan, three in Muzaffargarh, three in Gujrat and one each in Jhelum and Rawalpindi.
Earlier this week, two patients from KP who tested positive for the coronavirus had died, officials said. The patient from Sindh who passed away today was the first death from local transmission of the virus.
Sindh remains the most affected province in the outbreak, with 238 confirmed cases of the virus. Punjab has 96, KP has 23, Balochistan 81, Islamabad 7, and GB has 21 confirmed cases.
Globally, 176 countries have been affected, more than 9,700 people have died and more than 234,000 infected by the disease as it spreads rapidly to new territories. The epicentre of the outbreak has now shifted to Europe, which is recording a rapid rise in new cases every day.