Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 365,927 on Thursday after 2,547 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.
Overall, 158,559 cases were reported in Sindh, 112,284 in Punjab, 43,052 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16,582 in Balochistan, 25,278 in Islamabad, 4,482 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 5,690 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's Covid-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached 7,248 with 18 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.
Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 326,674 after another 886 virus recoveries were reported.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has imposed smart lockdowns in several areas of six cities across the province to avoid the spread of COVID-19 as the second wave of the pandemic has started.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department said that smart lockdowns are being imposed only in Covid-19 hotspots.
“There will be a restriction on the movement of residents of all affected areas and only one passenger will be allowed to travel in need,” Secretary Health Punjab Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman said in the statement.
As per the statement, all types of public gatherings will be strictly banned, while all medical stores, pharmacies, medical stores, laboratories, collection points, hospitals, and clinics will remain operational around the clock. Milk shops, meat shops, and bakeries will remain open from 7am to 7pm. Grocery stores, general stores, fruits and vegetable shops, flour shops, tandoors, and petrol pumps will remain open from 9am to7pm.
Moreover, the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday proposed to close primary schools from November 24 to January 31, 2021.
It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 56.2 million and death toll tops 1.34 million.
