[NEWS] COVID 19 PANDEMIC PAKISTAN 2k20

[Dr@g0n]

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Pakistan on 26 February 2020, when a student in Karachi tested positive upon returning from Iran.[2] By 18 March, cases had been registered in all four provinces, the two autonomous territories, and the federal territory of Islamabad.[3]

As of 11 May 2020, there have been over 34,300 confirmed cases with 8,812 recoveries and 737 deaths in the country. Punjab has recorded the most cases at over 13,200, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported the most deaths in the country, a total of 245.[1] The country has been put under a nation-wide lockdown until 9 May,[4] which was initiated on 1 April and later extended twice.[5] On 7 May PM Imran Khan announced to ease lockdown phase wise from 9 May 2020.[6][7]

According to a report by the federal government, Pakistan could have expected 50,000 cases of the disease by 25 April.[8][9][10] However, the number by then remained under 13,000, less than half of what was expected.[11] A Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation which took place in Lahore in early March 2020 became a coronavirus super-spreader,[12] accounting for 27% of cases in the country by late April.[13] Pakistan started vaccine trials in collaboration with Sinopharm, a Chinese pharmaceutical company in April 2020.[14]
 

On 11 March, 76 suspected cases were reported in several districts of Punjab province, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Hafizabad and Lodhran. The Healthcare Department officials informed that ten patients were immediately cleared of the suspicion, while 55 patients were cleared after testing negative.[36] A second case in Gilgit-Baltistan was confirmed the same day in Skardu leaving the tally at 20.[37] A third case was confirmed in Gilgit-Baltistan in Shigar district on 12 March, who had a travel history of Iran and was reported to be under treatment at the Skardu hospital.[38] The same day, Murtaza Wahab informed that the second patient of the virus had completely recovered.[citation needed] On 13 March, the Sindh Health Department identified a 52-year-old patient as positive, which marked the first case of local disease transmission as the patient had travelled from Islamabad.[39][40] 24 of the 27 suspected cases in Khyber Pakhtunkwa were also cleared that day.[41] At the end of the day, the total number of cases had risen to 28, with six new cases in Taftan and another in Sindh.[42][43] By 14 March, the number of cases was 31 as two new patients were found positive in Karachi while one was reported in Islamabad.[44]

Five more cases were announced in Karachi the next day on 15 March, including a second local transmission of the coronavirus in Sindh, while the other three had a travel history of Saudi Arabia and one had been to Balochistan.[45] There was also a new case reported in Islamabad Capital Territory. Lahore Health Secretary, Mohammad Usman confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Punjab in the city of Lahore. The infected patient had returned from United Kingdom on 10 March and was shifted to Mayo Hospital in an isolation ward.[46] The National Institute of Health reported 11 new cases in Sindh and 6 new in a mobile lab at the Taftan border area. and the first case in Punjab, increasing the tally to 53.[47][48] On 16 March, a total of 134 new positives cases were registered, the majority of them, 116 in Sindh. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also reported its first 15 cases[49] while 3 were found in Balochistan. This marked the sharpest increase so far as not only were more than a 100 cases were reported in a province within a day but also the number across the country reached 187.[50][51][52] The tally had shot up to 237 with 25 new cases in Punjab, 12 in Sindh and 4 in Islamabad on 17 March.[53][54][55]

By 18 March, the first case of coronavirus was reported from Azad Kashmir. The provinces of Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan saw an increase of cases by 36 and 10 respectively. New cases were also reported in other provinces. A patient from Hyderabad was also discharged after recovering in Sindh province, making the total number of recovered cases 5. A total of 302 positive cases were confirmed in Pakistan on 18 March.[56][57] The first two deaths due to the virus in the country were also confirmed on the day. Both were reported from the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the first being a 50-year-old man who had recently from Saudi Arabia to Mardan District after performing Umrah in Mecca, while the second victim was a 36-year-old from Hangu District. Both had been hospitalised in Peshawar.[58]

The cases doubled by more than half from 33 to 80 in Punjab; and from 23 to 81 in Balochistan on 19 March. The rise in cases led the provincial government of Balochistan to declare a health emergency and impose a ban on public transport. The provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani stated that a relief package will be provided to the employees of transport companies.[59] With a total of 159 new cases, the number confirmed cases jumped to 461

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by Dr.Drako
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[YaKuZa--BoSs]

As I have already said try to remove the links to wikipedia and it always helps to put an image or a video in your news, next time please improve it