With millions of deaths and millions more suffering from the widespread pandemic, the world is in an unprecedented scenario. Pakistan along with many countries is taking decisions daily that not only affects the operations of the government but the lives and livelihood of their countrymen.
Keeping you updated with latest, below is what has happened in the world and in Pakistan:
Updates on Coronavirus in Pakistan
CM Sindh says new lab established at JPMC, Larkana
CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah visited Larkana on Tuesday, where he said that the testing capacity has been increased across the province as new lab for testing has been made at Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre in Karachi for corona virus-related cases.
The CM Sindh said that there 23 cases of local transmission reported in Larkana, adding that a new lab facility will be established in the area.
Governor Sindh & All City Tajir Itehad hold ‘successful’ talks, Karachi
Governor Sindh Imran Ismail met with All City Tajir Ittehad leader Hammad Poonawala today, where the difficulties faced by the traders’ fraternity during the lockdown in Sindh were discussed. “The governor told us that he will ask the federal government to give permission to the CM Sindh in an hour,” Poonawala said, declaring the meeting a success.
The traders will open their markets from Wednesday.
IGP Punjab chairs session on security, coronavirus measures in Ramazan, Lahore
IGP Punjab Shoaib Dastagir chaired a session via video link on measures against coronavirus and security situation during Ramazan.
He said that more than 70,000 police personnel will perform duties, adding that people need to ensure the SOPs under the government while performing prayers.
10 prisoners test negative for coronavirus at Camp jail, Lahore
Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said that 10 prisoners have tested negative for the coronavirus at Camp jail.
Dr Ahmad said that 59 prisoners were tested positive for coronavirus 14 days ago
He updated that 48 prisoners have recovered from the disease.
- PM Imran tweets about the protests being held in parts of world over lockdowns during pandemic. PM Imran Khan, in a tweet, said that there are demonstrations being held in parts of the world against lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic, despite provision of various types of assistance.
- SHC issues notification for work hours for legal courts in Ramazan. The Sindh High Court issued a notification for work hours during the month of Ramzan, which is set to begin from the end of April. In the notification, the court cases will be heard from 8:30am to 1:30pm while the Friday timings will be 8:30 to 11am.
The same will be applied to lower courts.
Nationwide tally of confirmed cases rise 9,505, Karachi
The nationwide tally of confirmed cases rose to 9,505 after new cases were detected in Sindh.
According to Sindh government spokesperson 289 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours to take the provincial tally to 3,053.
“In the last 24 hours, 30 people have recovered from coronavirus in Sindh,” he added.
Sindh reports five new deaths, nationwide tally rises to 197, Karachi
The death toll from the novel coronavirus rose to 197 in the country after Sindh reported five more deaths.
According to the provincial government spokesperson the death toll from the virus in Sindh now stands at 66.
Five streets sealed after mismanagement during burial of corona-positive patient, Nawabshah
Deputy Commissioner Nawabshah said that after mismanagement and violation of safety protocols during the funeral prayers of a corona-positive men, five streets were sealed.
The streets were adjacent to the area where the men lived, said the DC, adding that those who attended the funeral prayers have been quarantined.
KP minister Taimur Khan Jhagra says civil servant’s posting cancelled over Section 144 violation
Provincial Minister for Health Taimur Khan Jhagra said that the posting of outgoing deputy commissioner Bajaur to the health department has been cancelled.
Jhagra said that the civil services were asked for an explanation after the said official held a gathering in violation of the Section 144 imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Faisal Edhi Test positive for coronavirus, Karachi
The son of the famed philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi had taken a test for the novel coronavirus two days ago and tested postitive. Edhi had been busy with the charity work during the coronavirus crisis and currently is in Islamabad, according to his family.
Following the test results, Faisal Edhi has gone into self-isolation.
Fayyaz Chohan meets NDMA chairman to discuss measures against coronavirus
Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan met with Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal to discuss measures curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
In the meeting, the NDMA chairman gave a briefing on the measures in the entire province, particularly Rawalpindi.
The provincial minister said that in every province, protective equipment is being provided to doctors and paramedical staff.
CM Sindh attends National Command and Operation Centre conference via video link, Karachi
CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah attended the National Command and Operation Centre conference via video link today. In today’s session, it was decided to form a national database regarding the coronavirus situation across the country.
The CM Sindh’s spokesperson said that the database will converge at national, provincial, divisional, and district level. “We have tested 4,955 people after tracing them,” the provincial minister was quoted as saying by his spokesperson.
PIA continues Relief Flight Operations, Lahore
Pakistan International Airlines continued its relief flight operations to repatriate stranded Pakistanis around the world.
As per the flight schedule, PK-701 departed for London from Islamabad today, while PK-785 will leave for the same destination at 1pm.
To take back British citizens, an international flight QR-254 will reach Islamabad at 1pm, while QR-7512 will carry UK nationals from Islamabad to Doha soon.
All the PIA relief flights will come back empty from the UK.
Nishtar Hospital provided PPEs for next two weeks: Dr Yasmin Rashid, Multan
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid stated that the Nishtar Hospital has been provided with adequate PPEs for the next two weeks, a day after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi complained that the city lacked adequate safety gear for doctors.
“Each doctor has been given a N-95 mask. One mask can be used for one week and each doctor will be given a new mask on every Monday,” stated the minister.
The provincial minister had arrived in Multan to overview the coronavirus situation in the city.
Dr Rashid also announced that a biosafety lab of level 3 has also been installed in Multan. She also clarified that no ventilators have been moved from Nishtar hospital to Dera Ghazi Khan.
President Alvi reviews coronavirus situation in AJK, Muzaffarabad
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government briefed President Arif Alvi on the coronavirus situation in the region.
During the visit, President Alvi was briefed on the situation by AJK’s President Masood Khan and PM Raja Farooq Haider at the PM house in Muzaffarabad.
The president also handed over medical equipment for health professionals to the AJK government.
Punjab decides to open up government department needed for construction industry, Lahore
Punjab government has decided to open up departments related to the construction industry for limited hours to keep the industry a float.
The decision was taken by Punjab Chief Secretary Azam Suleman Khan to make sure that industry remains operational after it was decided to ease restrictions on it during the lockdown.
PDMA dispatches additional medical equipment to 49 hospitals, Peshawar
The Provincial Disaster Management Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shared that it has dispatched more protection equipment for doctors in 49 hospitals of the province.
According to a tweet, the PMDA issued 4,171 N-95 masks, 149,500 surgical face masks, 13,700 gloves, 659 face shields, 659 face shield, 2,1487 surgical caps and 100 litres of hand sanitizer. The authority added that the equipment was obtained with the help of the NDMA.
American diplomats visit NCOC, Islamabad
Diplomats from the United States on Tuesday visited the National Command and Operations Centre in Islamabad and were briefed about the virus situation in the country.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza briefed the diplomats about the efforts being made by the government to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan.
Balochistan extends virus lockdown till May 5, Quetta
The Balochistan government on Tuesday extended the coronavirus lockdown in the province till May 5. A notification in this regard was also issued by the provincial authorities.
The restrictions imposed on movement and gatherings of people across the province to contain the spread of the epidemic have been maintained, the notification states.
Number of confirmed virus cases across Pakistan rise to 9,219, death tally at 192, Islamabad
The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus across Pakistan rose to 9,219 on Tuesday after new infections were confirmed in different parts of the country.
The death toll from the virus also increased to 192 after seven new deaths were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Government committed to protecting interests of citizens: SAPM Awan, Islamabad
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said that the government was committed to protecting the interests of the people during the coronavirus crisis.
“The ordinance against hoarders is an affirmation of the will of the government that it will deal strictly with hoarders and profiteers in this time of crisis,” she said.
Number of confirmed virus cases in Punjab rise to 4,195, Lahore
The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Punjab rose to 4,195 early on Tuesday, according to a message shared on Twitter by Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.
The number of deaths from the virus in the province also rose to 45, CM Buzdar said, taking the total number of virus-related deaths across the country to 185.
One more death reported in Balochistan, Quetta
Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan took to Twitter to share details of the coronavirus cases in Balochistan, informing that one more person had died from the coronavirus on Monday, April 20, 2020, taking the total death toll in the province to 6.
Global Updates on Coronavirus
Global tally of coronavirus deaths crosses 170,000
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 170,000 people globally, close to two thirds of them in hardest-hit Europe, according to an AFP tally Tuesday at 0935 GMT.
In total, 170,226 people have died from the virus around the world, including 106,737 in Europe. With 42,364 deaths, the United States has the highest mortality rate, followed by Italy with 24,114 fatalities and Spain´s 21,282. France has 20,265 deaths and Britain 16,509.
WHO says coronavirus very likely of animal origin, no sign of lab manipulation
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that all available evidence suggests that the novel coronavirus originated in bats in China late last year and it was not manipulated or constructed in a laboratory.
Partial lockdown extended until June 1 as infections surge
Singapore will extend a partial lockdown until June 1 to curb a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the city-state, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday. Initially the lockdown was till 4th May.
The city-state reported 1,111 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing total infections to 9,125, after a record daily jump of 1,426 cases on Monday.
Chinese corporation donates ventilators and PPEs to Pakistan, Beijing
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Naghmana Hashmi said that China has donated ventilators and PPEs worth RMB 10 million to Pakistan.
The supplies, which come as a part of Chinese assistance to Pakistan against coronavirus crisis, will be delivered through three flights.
Pakistan consulate in Dubai shuts down ticket counter, Dubai
The Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai shuts down its ticket counter as Pakistanis complained of expensive tickets. This enraged many and many were concerned of their return home.
Death toll in England 41% higher than early data suggested: Office for National Statistics, London
The true extent of the death toll in England and Wales from coronavirus up to April 10 was 41% higher than the daily figures from the government indicated, according to data on Tuesday that includes deaths in the community.
The Office for National Statistics said it recorded 13,121 deaths by April 10, compared with 9,288 in the government’s daily toll for those who died in hospital.
Confirmed cases surge past 52,000, Moscow
Russia recorded 5,642 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its nationwide tally to 52,763, the Russian coronavirus crisis response centre said on Tuesday.
Fifty-one people with the virus died in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 456, it said.
Ramazan mass exodus tradition, “mudik” banned to curb virus spread, Jakarta
Indonesia will ban the mass exodus tradition, locally known as ‘mudik,’ at the end of the Muslim fasting month in May in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country, President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday.
“I have taken the decision that we will ban mudik,” Widodo told a cabinet meeting. “That is why the relevant preparation needs to be done.”
Global hunger could double due to COVID-19: UN, Geneva
The number of people facing acute food insecurity could nearly double this year to 265 million due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
The impact of lost tourism revenues, falling remittances and travel and other restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic are expected to leave some 130 million people acutely hungry this year, adding to around 135 million already in that category.
“COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are already hanging by a thread,” said Arif Husain, chief economist and director of research, assessment and monitoring at the World Food Programme (WFP).
PM Conte says Italy to start easing lockdown from May 4, Italy
This week, Italy will announce its plans for the gradual reopening from a lockdown imposed to fight the coronavirus emergency that will be applied starting from May 4, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday.
Japanese media reports 11 dead were infected with coronavirus, Japan
Japanese police have reported that 11 people whose deaths were deemed to be unnatural in the past month subsequently tested positive for the new coronavirus, media said on Tuesday.
WHO says currently not possible to determine precise source of coronavirus, Beijing
The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that it is not possible to determine the precise source of the new coronavirus at this stage.
As of now, no conclusions could be made, said Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
However, the available evidence suggests an animal origin, Kasai told an online press conference.
WHO shows concerns about rising confirmed cases in Japan, Beijing
The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that it was concerned about the increasing number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Japan.
But Japan is not yet in the stage of a large-scale community outbreak, Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, told an online press conference.
Coronavirus infections rate among health workers ‘worrisome’: WHO expert, Manila
The World Health Organization has recognised a worrisome trend of infections among healthcare workers in the Philippines and is working closely with the country’s health ministry on ways of addressing it.
Abdi Mahamud, the COVID-19 incident manager for the Western Pacific region, said that as many as 13% of cases in the Philippines were health workers although there was no exact data to explain that, Reuters reported.
Trump says will ‘temporarily suspend’ immigration due to coronavirus, Washington
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he planned to temporarily suspend immigration to the United States because of the coronavirus pandemic, despite the US already being the worst-hit country in the world, AFP reported.
“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” he tweeted Monday night.
Coronavirus Stats in Pakistan on 21st April
Province-wise breakup of the total number of cases on April 21, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 9,505
- Sindh: 3,053
- Punjab: 4,195
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 1,276
- Balochistan: 465
- Islamabad Capital Territory: 185
- Gilgit-Baltistan: 281
- AJK: 50
Deaths: 197
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 74
- Sindh: 66
- Balochistan: 6
- Gilgit-Baltistan: 3
- Punjab: 45
- Islamabad Capital Territory: 3
Officials have recorded more than 2.46 million cases and more than 169,000 deaths since the virus emerged in China in December.
