Corona toll 11 with 2 new deaths in Punjab

By Amer Malik
March 28, 2020

By News desk

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LAHORE: Two more persons died of the novel coronavirus in Punjab on Friday, taking the toll to 11 across country, while the number of confirmed patients soared to 1,373. The official data Friday evening showed that so far the dreaded virus had claimed 11 lives in the country, and details of the confirmed patients was as under:Sindh 440; Punjab 490; Balochistan 131; Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 180; Islamabad Capital Territory 27; Gilgit-Baltistan 103; and Azad Jammu & Kashmir 2. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar confirmed increasing the provincial tally to five and the national count to 11. He said a person died of coronavirus, while the provincial infected toll had bumped to 490, while Pakistan’s total cases stand at 1373.

In a tweet, Buzdar said: “With heavy heart, I am confirming that we have lost a 22-year-old patient in Faisalabad. Total loss of lives is at 5 now. Currently we have 490 confirmed cases across Punjab.”

Breaking down the provincial tally, he said most cases were reported in Dera Ghazi Khan’s quarantine facility.

DGK quarantine 207 cases, Multan quarantine 46, Lahore 115, Gujrat 48, Gujranwala 9, Jhelum 19, Rawalpindi 14, Multan 3, Faisalabad 10, Mandi Bahauddin 3, Sargodha 2, Nankana Sahib 2 and Mianwali 2 and Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan, Attock, Bahawalnagar and Khushab one case each,” he added.

Also, an elderly patient died of coronavirus due to medical staff’s alleged laxity at Mayo Hospital Lahore on Friday, reflecting an upward trajectory of COVID-19 mortalities with five casualties in Punjab.

Two doctors performing duties at Dera Ghazi Khan’s quarantine facility also tested positive for the deadly virus, setting alarm bells ringing for the healthcare providers. Another doctor, working at the Nawaz Sharif Hospital, Yakki Gate, Lahore, was also tested positive, although reportedly, he got infection while dealing with patients at his private clinic.

Muhammad Hanif, 70, a resident of Sheikhupura, was found dead in the washroom of the Mayo Hospital on Friday morning. As per other coronavirus patients in the Isolation Ward, the elderly man experienced extreme pain throughout Thursday night and continued calling doctors and nurses for hours till Friday morning in helplessness as he was tied to the bed.

Despite repeated requests of other patients, no one came to help the ill-fated elderly man until he fell from the bed. The hospital staff sent sanitary workers who tied the elderly man to the bed. At 10am, the staff unfastened his hands so that he could go to washroom. On not hearing any voice after half an hour, the staff broke the washroom door only to find him dead. Other patients narrated the horrible story while saying that no one bothered to help the patient by shifting him to ventilator.

The doctors, however, say that the elderly man was carrying multiple diseases including psychological disorders. Mayo Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Asad Aslam claimed that the patient died of heart attack.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has taken notice and ordered for an inquiry into the incident.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid visited Mayo Hospital to inquire about the cause of death of the old patient and state of healthcare facilities being provided in Isolation Wards. She constituted a two-member committee to probe the death and look after the services provided to the patient. “In case of any negligence by the staff, action could be initiated against the responsible person,” she warned.

The minister submitted the initial inquiry report to the chief minister, while a detailed report will be submitted in 24 hours.

As many as 14 new COVID-19 cases were reported from across the province on Friday, taking the number of confirmed patients to 490.

Earlier in the day, Sindh reported 19 new cases 24 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two cases in the federal capital.

Meanwhile, Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) aggregate stands at two, Balochistan’s tally stands at 131, while Gilgit-Baltistan toll is at 91.

Deaths from virus

Five deaths have occurred in Punjab, which is the highest among all provinces.

On Sunday, Balochistan had reported its first death, a 65-year-old man, who had been under treatment at the Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital.

Earlier, a doctor from Gilgit-Baltistan, who had been fighting against the virus on the frontlines, was reported as the fifth casualty.

On Sunday, March 22, Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir had announced the country’s fourth death from the virus.

On March 20, Pakistan had recorded its third death from the virus. Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho had confirmed the death of a 77-year-old COVID-19 patient in the province.

Two patients from KP who tested positive for the coronavirus were reported as the country’s first two deaths.

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