Covid-19 claims record 40 lives in a day on Pak, country discusses easing lockdown

Pakistan on Wednesday filed a record 40 deaths by coronavirus disease Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 526.

The Ministry of National Health Services stated that Punjab recorded 8,420 cases, Sindh 8,189, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 3,499, Balochistan 1,495, Islamabad 485, Gilgit-Baltistan 386 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 76 cases.

The country identified 1,049 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 22,413, it added.

A total of 6,217 patients have recovered. So far 232,582 tests were conducted, including 10,178 in the last 24 hours.

While, Pakistan’s top decision-making body the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), on Wednesday proposed relaxing in lockdown restrictions and the resumption of transport services across the country after May 9.

The NCOC discussed the issue of allowing public transport and opening up more business ahead of Eid festival which will be celebrated on May 24 or 25 depending on the sighting of the moon. The meeting was chaired by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar.

Although officials stated that all provinces opposed the proposal in the NCOC meeting and the final decision will be taken by the Prime Minister in a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Thursday.

The meeting, which would be attended by all chief ministers, will take the final decision about easing the lockdown.