Virus deaths hit single-day high as BHC CJ tests positive

QUETTA/KARACHI/LAHORE: At least 70 people died of coronavirus across the country in the last 24 hours — the country’s highest figure in a single day – officials said on Friday as Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and his eight family members also tested positive for the disease.

The latest casualties of the disease, including at least four doctors, have pushed the death toll past 1,350 as the nationwide tally of Covid-19 cases surpassed 64,700.

The BHC chief justice and his family have self-isolated themselves after tested positive for the virus, according to high court officials.

The deaths in the past 24 hours include 31 in Sindh alone, followed by 29 in Punjab.

According to the Punjab government, over 340 healthcare workers are suffering from Covid-19 in the province. Dr Sana Fatima, who was treating Covid-19 patients before contracting the disease herself, passed away on Friday morning. She was admitted to a hospital on May 20. Dr Fatima has left behind a husband and a daughter.

Dr Naeem Akhtar, who belonged to Gujranwala and was working as a psychologist at a hospital in Lahore, also died of Covid-19. The disease also claimed the life of Salman Tahir, an MBBS fourth year student at a medical college in Lahore. Doctors said he died because of the high viral load of the virus.

In Quetta, Dr Zubair Ahmed, the in-charge of the Bolan Medical Complex Trauma Centre in Quetta, passed away after he was diagnosed positive for coronavirus a few days ago. A provincial government spokesperson said he was being treated at the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Quetta. Dr Khanzada, a doctor from Afghanistan was working at the Hangu Medical Centre, also died of Covid-19.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said 804 new coronavirus cases were reported in the province. He added that 308 patients were in a critical condition and 52 on ventilators. The chief minister further said 1,563 people in the province had recovered from the virus while 3,316 tests were conducted over the last 24 hours.

Similarly, the Punjab health department reported 927 new coronavirus cases in the province in the last 24 hours. It added that 6,338 people had recovered so far. Overall, the province has conducted 223,074 tests. The department said Lahore was the most affected city of the province with 10,329 cases.

The spike in the cases and deaths has compelled the government to convene a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Covid-19 to discuss whether or not it should re-impose the restrictions that were lifted earlier this month.