Islamabad: A record 1,764 new coronavirus cases was reported in Pakistan in one day. It took the total number of patients to 25,837, the country’s health ministry said Friday. It also said that 35 more patients have died in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 594. So far 7,530 people have so far recovered, it said.
Punjab reported 10,033 patients, Sindh 9,093, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 3,956, Balochistan 1,725, Islamabad 558, Gilgit-Baltistan 394 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) 78 patients, the ministry informed. It also said that 257,247 tests have been conducted, including 11,993 in the last 24 hours.
Despite the increasing number, the government has announced to start lifting lockdown from Saturday. It also said that the suspension of domestic flight operations will continue up to May 10. The earlier order was to expire May 7.
The country will begin easing its nationwide lockdown in a phased manner by allowing various businesses to open up, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, citing the economic crisis due to the shutdown. He said the decision was taken as industries and people were facing problems.
Khan said that the situation was not clear as the curve of coronavirus cases was going up and there was no indication when the peak would be reached. However, he said that Pakistan did not witness a peak like the one in the European countries.
PTI
