Pakistan reports over 72,000 Covid-19 cases; 1,543 deaths

PAKISTAN reported 2,964 new Covid-19 patients and 60 fresh deaths in the last 24 hours. As on Monday (1), the total tally stands at 72,460 and the death toll climbed to 1,543, health officials said.

According to the ministry, 28,245 cases have been diagnosed in Sindh, 26,240 in Punjab, 10,027 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 4,393 in Balochistan, 2,589 in Islamabad, 711 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 255 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The ministry data shows that 26,083 patients have been recovered so far from the virus. The authorities have conducted 561,136 tests, including 14,398 in the last 24 hours.

Pakistan registered nearly 52,000 new coronavirus cases in May, while the death toll rose from 408 to 1,483. Two weeks ago the country eased lockdown to restart the economy.

“Lockdown option is always on the table, but it is not under active consideration,” minister for planning Asad Umar said on Sunday (31). On May 9, Pakistan began easing the month-long lockdown despite a steady rise in the number of the coronavirus cases.

On May 30, Pakistan resumed the outbound international flights after two months.

Prime minister Imran Khan will chair a crucial meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) which is expected to decide the future strategy to deal with the increasing threat of the pandemic on Monday. There are reports that the country may reimpose the lockdown.