The number of coronavirus case is continued to rise as of Sunday night, the number of cases in the county is at 703 after 41 new COVID-19 cases surfaced -18 in Karachi and 23 in pilgrims at Sukkur quarantine centre.
According to Ministry of Health official portal, there are 703 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country, 123 COVID-19 cases have been reported from Karachi with three already cured and one death.
119 are currently being treated at different health facilities across the city. 77 of the cases are locally transmitted. On the other hand 210 pilgrims, who have returned from Iran, have been tested positive so far in Sukkur.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister's Adviser Shams Mir said that out of the total 71 coronavirus cases in G-B, 16 people are those who have contracted the virus from pilgrims returning from Iran.
Gilgit Baltistan government has decided to impose to complete lockdown from Monday midnight for an indefinite period as the number of coronavirus patients reaches 71 in the region.
According to official figures, there are 703 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country including 333 in Sindh, 152 in Punjab, 104 Balochistan, 71 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 31 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 in Islamabad and 1 in AJK. There are five people so far who have recovered from the COVID-19 and only three deaths have been reported.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government confirmed third death to the novel coronavirus in the province, bringing the country's tally of COVID-19 fatalities to four.
According to KP government spokesman Ajmal Wazir, a woman who tested positive for the virus had passed away on Saturday. She had recently returned from Iran. He said that the province had 31 confirmed and 179 suspected cases of the COVID-19.
Zafar Mirza, the special assistant to the prime minister on health visited Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), and said there was personal protective equipment (PPE) for all health workers, at least 70 additional beds for coronavirus patients. Besides, Mirza said an emergency management committee has been formed.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration sealed two mosques in the city after a foreigner was tested positive for Covid-19. The mosques were vacated and sealed by authorities after a foreigner from Kazkistan, who was part of the Tableeghi Jamaat, tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat in a tweet said that both mosques had been sealed after being disinfected.
"Terrible lapse and criminal carelessness on part of the Khateeb and Tableeghi jamat," the DC said in a tweet. "They knew that one of them had symptoms and they kept on roaming around," he regretted.
Meanwhile, the ICT Administration decided to shut down all restaurants, cafes and major malls in the city for a week, a notification by the district magistrate said. Takeaway and home delivery services, however, will remain available. Besides, shops will be closed by 8pm and staff will be educated about social distancing and other precautionary measures.
Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri urged people to "avoid big gatherings and pray at home" on Shab-i-Mairaj.
He also asked the nation to pray for "Pakistan, Muslim ummah and all of humanity, especially for protection against coronavirus", in his message on Shab-e-Miraj.
The special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the goevrnemnt may go for lockdown if the people did not go for self-isolation.
She called upon the people to take precautionary measures or else the government would be left with no option but to use the option of lockdown which will create problem for the whole nation.