COVID-19: Pakistan's confirmed cases jumps to 21,501, recovery rate rose to 5,782

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 21,501 on Tuesday after new infections were confirmed in the country.

The province-wise break up of the total number of cases are as follows:

Total confirmed cases: 21,501
• Sindh: 7,882

• Punjab: 8,103

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 3,288

• Balochistan: 1,321

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 464

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 372

• AJK: 71

Deaths: 486

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 185

• Sindh: 137

• Balochistan: 21

• Gilgit-Baltistan: 3

• Punjab: 136

• Islamabad Capital Territory: 4

 

Officials have recorded more than 3.5 million cases and more than 250,000 deaths since the virus emerged in China in December.

Jinnah Hospital teams up with NIH to treat patients with plasma therapy

The National Institute of Health and Jinnah Hospital have reached an agreement over the treatment of coronavirus patients with plasma therapy.

NIH Incharge Dr Tahir Shamsi said that the under-treatment patients at the hospital in Karachi will receive plasma injections.

He said that so far, two patients have received plasma therapy in Sindh, after which their condition is improving steadily.

Railways to operate on a limited scale from May 10

According to an official notification, Pakistan Railways will begin its limited scale operations from May 10.

In the first phase, 15 trains will be made operational across different parts of Pakistan.

The notification urged public to exercise caution and practice social distancing while commuting.

Govt employees to get paid on May 21

The Balochistan government issued a notification today, according to which the government employees will get salary of the running month on May 21.

According to the finance department’s notification, pensioners will also get their pension money on the said date.

Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shhawani said that the province has asked for ventilators from the National Disaster Management Authority.

He said that the province is running short on ventilators and has to ramp up their numbers against rising coronavirus cases in Balochistan.

“In the last few days, ratio of local transmission of cases remained 88%,” he said, adding that the recovery rate is 15% in Balochistan.

Sindh govt orders 100 more ventilators

Sindh government Spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that the provincial government has ordered 100 more ventilators on Tuesday.

Wahab said that the Sindh Health Department has decided to order 163 ventilators in all, adding that the province will receive 36 more ventilators during the month.

Doctor tests positive for coronavirus at PIMS

Dr Sarwat from Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences said in a video statement today that she has tested positive for the virus.

Dr Sarwat said that her colleague tested positive three days ago, following which she also suffered from the symptoms.

In her message, she said that after the test results they had urged the hospital to seal the ward.