Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 556,519 on Tuesday after 1,008 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.
Overall, 251,434 cases were confirmed in Sindh, 161,347 in Punjab, 68,625 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18,877 in Balochistan, 42,080 in Islamabad, 4,918 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 9,100 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's COVID-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached to 12,066 with 40 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.
Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 512,943 after another 1,441 virus recoveries were reported.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has imposed 'smart lockdowns' in several areas of Lahore until Feb 19.
As per the Primary and Secondary Health Department notification issued on 8, there has been an increase in the positive cases of Covid-19 in Punjab during last two weeks which poses a serious and imminent threat to public health.
Restrictions have been imposed at areas in Cantt, Gulberg, Samanabad and Wagah. According to the notification, all markets, shopping malls, restaurants offices shall remain closed in these areas.
There shall also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious, or any other purpose at any place, public or private throughout these areas, the notification said.
However, grocery stores will be allowed to open from 9am to 7pm seven days a week. On the other hand, milk and meat shops will open from 7am to 7pm seven days a week.
It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 105.805,000 million and death toll tops 2.312,000 million.
