118, including GB minister, die in last 24 hours

ISLAMABAD: The COVID-19 caseload in Pakistan on Thursday reached 162,973 with 5,358 new cases reported during last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said.

Sharing the data, the centre said a total of 3,228 deaths had been reported with 118 reported during last 24 hours. A total of 59,215 patients have recovered and sent home. The centre said 982,012 tests had been conducted, with 31,500 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

The centre said 62,269 cases were reported from Sindh, 60,138 from Punjab, 20,182 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9,637 from Islamabad, 1,213 from Gilgit Baltistan, 8,794 from Balochistan and 740 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

A total of 29,374 active cases were reported from Sindh, 41,111 from Punjab, 13,721 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 7,104 from Islamabad, 427 from Gilgit Baltistan, 5,650 from Balochistan and 423 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Sindh reported 964 deaths, Punjab 1,202, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 773, 94 from Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan 18, Balochistan 99, and 15 deaths were reported from AJK.

It said 29,693 patients had recovered in Sindh, 17,825 in Punjab, 5,137 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,439 in Islamabad, 768 Gilgit Baltistan, 3,051 in Balochistan and 302 in AJK.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 claimed 52 more lives in Punjab on Thursday, while the number of confirmed cases reached 60,138. The Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department said the total number of deaths had reached 1202, while 17,825 patients had recovered.

As many as 1226 new cases were registered in Lahore, 3 in Kasur, 22 in Sheikhupura, 140 in Rawalpindi, 1 in Jhelum, 1 in Chakwal, 75 in Gujranwala, 42 in Sialkot, 16 in Gujrat, 1 in Hafizabad, 58 in Multan, 5 in Khanewal, 4 in Vehari, 4 in Muzaffargarh, 120 in Faisalabad, 24 in Chiniot, 19 in Toba Tek Singh, 1 in Jhang, 10 in Rahimyar Khan, 2 in Attock, 23 in Sargodha, 11 in Mianwali, 2 in Bhakkar, 34 in Bahawalpur, 3 in Lodhran, 12 in Okara, 28 in Sahiwal and 9 new case were reported in Pakpattan district during the 24 hours.

The Punjab health department so far conducted 386,992 tests. In Sindh, a lockdown has been imposed in several neighborhoods of the metropolis to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to a notification issued from Commissioner Karachi's office late Wednesday, potential coronavirus hotspots have been put under lockdown for two weeks from June 18 to June 2, while grocery and medical will remain open.

Coronavirus 'hotspots'

1. District Korangi

- Korangi Town: UC-2 Makhdoom Bilawal, Qayyumabad-A & B Area, Allahwala Town, Nasir Colony, P&T Colony, Darrusalam

- Malir Town: UC-1 Moinabad Phase 3, SI, 35/3 Model Colony, Jaffar Bagh and Nashtar Square

- Landhi Town: UC-9 36-B Area near to Street Rehmania Masjid, Awami Colony, Imambargah Wali Asar Area and Power House Area

- Shah Faisal Town: UC-7 Millat Town, Al-Falah Society and Malir Halt and UC-9 CAA Colony, Cantt. Bazaar and Old Iqbalabad

2. District South

- UC Karachi Cantonment: Barzata Line and Doli Khata

- UC Kharadar-3: Lee Market

- UC Saddar-8: Burns Road, M.A. Jinnah Road, Main Saddar and Urdu Bazaar

- UC Phase VI: Khayaban-e-Badar and Khayaban-e-Muhafiz

- UC Lyari: Agra Taj-2 and Behar Colony

3. District East

- Gulshan Town: UC-1 Muhammad All Society, UC-2 Bahadurabad and Block 14, UC-4 Essa Nagri, UC-6 Block 13 (A&C), UC-7 Gulshan-e-Jamal, UC-8 13-D/II, UC-9 Block 7, UC-10 Block 14, 15, 11, Gulistan-e-Johar Block 2, UC-12 Sachal Goth and Rabia Petal, UC-13 Safoora, UC-14 Rufi Lake Drive Inn and Gulistan-e-Johar Block 13

- Jamshed Town: UC-6 PECHS Block 2 Tariq Road and Block 6, UC-7 PECHS Block II and Block 6, UC-8 Balti Mohalla, UC-10 Martin Quarters and Fatima Jinnah Colony, UC-11 Jamat Khana, Jahangir Road Quarters No. 02, Jahangir Road No. 01, Teen Hatti and Bijli Ground, UC-12 Solider Bazaar Numaish Area

4. District West

- UC-5 (Songal): Gulshan-e-Maymar and Khuda Ki Basti Phase 2

- UC-3 (Islam Nagar): Naval Colony, Sector 4

- UC-5 (Saeedabad): Area 5G, 5J, A3

- UC-4 (Metroville): Block 3

- UC-6 (Frontier Colony): Sector 4 & 5 near Malakand Hospital, Ismaili Quarters

- UC-6 (Ghaziabad): Christian Colony

5. District Malir

- UC-3 (Cattle Colony): Road No. 09, Complete Commercial Market area)

- Gulshan-e-Hadeed-6: Complete Commercial Markets of Phase-I & Phase-II

- UC-5 (Jaffer e Tayyar): Jinnah Square Commercial Market

- UC-1 (Muzaffarabad): D Area (Main Commercial Market Road from 50 Bedded Hospital to 52 Wing Pakistan Rangers), Old Area (Main Commercial Market Road), Jacob Line (Main Commercial Market Road), Majeed Colony Sector I & II (Main Commercial Markets and Muzaffarabad Rerhi Road (Main Commercial Markets from Hospital Chowrangi to Hussain Chowrangi)

- UC-3 (Dawood Chowrangi): Main Commercial Markets from Dawood Chowrangi towards 89 Petrol Pump

- UC-4 (Quaidabad): Main Quaidabad, Gosht Gali, Murghi Khana Main Commercial Market, Majeed Panwala area near Mobile Market and All Mobile Markets.

6. District Central

Gulberg: Selected streets of Joharabad.

North Karachi: Bab-e-Ghazi Apartment Sector I I -E North Karachi selected streets and Anarkali Market.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 more people died of coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total death toll to 773, health department said on Thursday.

As per an official press release, 569 new cases were also reported on Thursday, bringing the total numbers of positive cases to 20,182 in KP. Of the 18 latest fatalities, Peshawar reported five deaths, Swat reported three, Karak and Malakand reported two each, and Swabi, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Haripur, Battagram and Bajaur reported one death each.

Across Pakistan, Peshawar remains atop the list of corona casualties, with 380 deaths so far. Swat stands second with 76 fatalities in terms of deaths caused by the virus. Of 569 positive cases, Peshawar reported 180, Swat 76, Malakand 49, Charsadda 29, Mardan 23, Buner 21, Lower Dir and Lakki Marwat 20 each, Swabi 15, Kohat and Karak 14 each. Also, 26 positive cases were reported from Torkham and seven from international flights.

Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture and PML-N leader Haji Janbaz Khan Thursday passed away due to coronavirus at a hospital in Gilgit.

The 62-year-old politician was suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the local doctors said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said there was need for a unified and well-coordinated joint national response to fight the COVID-19 during the next couple of months.

“Our actions will determine the extent of the crisis and success of our response through consensus,” he said during his visit to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) here.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present on the occasion.

Apart from the federal ministers, AJK prime minister, chief minister Punjab, chief minister Sindh, chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, chief minister Balochistan and chief minister Gilgit Baltistan attended the meeting through the video link.

Prime Minister Imran Khan directed that all efforts must focus on controlling the disease spread and ensuring availability of medicines, oxygen and beds in hospitals. He urged complete unity among the entire nation to fight an unusual and ominous challenge.

The prime minister also directed all Pakistanis to protect the elderly and sick, especially those suffering from heart related diseases and diabetes.

Lauding the role of NCOC, he said Pakistan had navigated COVID-19 in a balanced manner. However, he cautioned everyone for utmost care.

“We need a unified and well-coordinated joint national response to fight the disease during the next couple of months; our actions will determine the extent of the crisis and success of our response through consensus,” said the prime minister.

Paying tribute to the sacrifices of healthcare workers, Imran said they were doing the nation proud at this critical juncture and the entire nation recognised their contribution.

The prime minister said the media had performed responsibly so far adding that any tendency to sensationalize must be self-checked by them.

Imran was briefed by Federal Minister Asad Umar and Major General Asif Mehmood Goraya, DG Operations and Planning NCOC on the analysis of patterns of COVID-19 spread, pressure on hospitals, fatalities, and future projections.

The prime minister was also briefed on the steps taken so far regarding curtailing the spread of COVID-19 across the country, enforcement of SOPs, and strategy regarding the management of disease and implementation of decisions in coordination with all the stakeholders.

The participants were especially apprised of the gaps identified and measures being taken for improvement in the healthcare system of the country to cope with the challenge, capacity building of the healthcare professionals, increased availability of beds for the patients, uninterrupted availability of crucial medicines, and sufficient supplies of oxygen.

The participants, through a consensus, resolved to continue the strategy of balance between life and livelihood being pursued.

It was reiterated that while businesses must remain open, strict implementation of SOPs would be ensured through awareness and administrative actions.

Smart lockdowns in hot spots identified through use of technology tools recently deployed and developed by NCOC will be ensured.

The forum was also briefed on the use of digital technology for contact tracing and disease projection. It was informed that during the last four days, there was a decline in the number of positive cases.