Coronavirus cases climb to 1,408 in Pakistan with 11 deaths

KARACHI: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan climbed to 1,408 on Saturday after another 173 people were tested positive in different areas of the country.

The death toll reached 11 as two more people died during the last 24 hours, while the suspected cases climbed to 12,218 after the accumulation of 937.

According to the National Command and Control Centre for the novel COVID-19, some 725 coronavirus patients are currently hospitalised with seven of them in a critical condition.

According to official statics of National Command and Control Centre for the novel COVID-19, Punjab tops the list with 490 cases followed by Sindh 457, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 180, Balochistan 133, Gilgit Baltistan 107, Islamabad 39 and Azad Kashmir two.

It stated that 72 percent of the patients have a travel history – 58 percent from Iran and 14 percent from other countries. While, the remaining 28 percent are a result of local transmission or community spread of the diseases.

Furthermore, there are 182 quarantine facilities with 7,180 cases housed at there. The government Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday turned 231 schools into quarantine centers in the province due to rising cases of coronavirus.

Sources said several educational institutions have been made quarantine centers as preventive steps and as arrangements for a sudden rise in those diagnosed with the deadly diseases.

As many as 133 boys’ schools along with 98 girls’ schools have been quarantine centers in Peshawar, while 28 schools have been reserved for isolation facilities in Charsaddah.

In Swabi 25 girls’ schools has also been made quarantine centers, Lower Dir saw 31 boys’ schools being turned and Mohmand agency administration announced 15 girls’ schools as quarantine centers.

Union Council Manga continues to be the epicenter of the coronavirus in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.