Coronavirus in Pakistan: Confirmed cases surge past 1,700

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 1,763 on Monday after new cases were reported across the country.

Punjab reported 45 new cases, taking the provincial tally to 638 from 593 from the previous day.

The country also reported two new deaths, taking the nation-wide toll to 22.

Sindh’s Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Pechuho confirmed the death of a patient in the province.

"The 63-year-old patient was a resident of Karachi and had been diagnosed with COVID-19 two days earlier," she said.

"The deceased had a history of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and had returned from Saudi Arabia 10 days ago," Pechuho said.

The new deaths in Sindh took the provincial tally to eight. Punjab has reported six coronavirus related deaths, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded five.

Gilgit Baltistan has reported two deaths while Balochistan has reported one death from the novel coronavirus.

Punjab has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country, 638, with Sindh coming in second with 566.

KP has reported 217 cases, Balochistan 144, Islamabad 51, Gilgit-Baltistan 141 and AJK six.