Lahore/Karachi (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has risen to 237 after new cases of COVID-19 were reported from Sindh and Punjab on Tuesday evening.
The province-wide number of cases on Tuesday evening included 172 from Sindh, 26 from Punjab, 16 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16 from Balochistan, 2 from Islamabad Capital Territory and 5 from Gilgit Baltistan.
In a post on his official Twitter handle, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar announced 18 fresh cases in the province.
“On the basis of test reports, of suspected patients, I can confirm that the number of confirmed #coronavirus patients is now 26,” he wrote.
“We are testing all the suspected patients and 736 Zaireen (pilgrims) quarantined in DG Khan. 1,276 Zaireen coming from Taftan will also be quarantined,” he added.
Addressing a press conference earlier on Tuesday, Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmeen Rashid confirmed that the number of coronavirus cases in Punjab have risen to six after five new cases were confirmed.
She said the five cases were all from the over 700 cases in quarantine in DG Khan.
Punjab Health Department Secretary Kaiser Sharif said a suspected coronavirus patient in Lahore has passed away.
According to Sharif, the patient was admitted in the isolation ward of Mayo Hospital Lahore on Monday night.
He had been tested for coronavirus and his results were expected to be received today afternoon.
Earlier, Advisor to Sindh chief minister on Information Murtaza Wahab said that a total of 274 pilgrims were tested out of which 134 tested positive in Sukkur.
In the rest of Sindh, 38 patients tested positive out of which 36 are under treatment while two have recovered. Five out of the latest patients had recently returned from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The sharp increase in cases was reported among pilgrims who have recently returned rom Iran via Taftan.
Globally, 162 countries have been affected, more than 7,000 people have died and more than 184,000 infected by the disease as it spreads rapidly to new territories.
The epicentre of the outbreak has now shifted to Europe, which is recording a rapid rise in new cases every day.