Lahore/Quetta/Karachi/Peshawar (Staff Report/Agencies): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan on Monday rose to 181,088 after 4471 new virus cases surfaced in the country over the last twenty four hours.
Overall, 66,943 cases were reported in Punjab, 69,628 in Sindh, 21,997 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9,475 in Balochistan, 10,912 in Islamabad, 1,288 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 845 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's Covid-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached 3,590 with 89 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours while around 71,458 patients have fully recovered from the disease.
Nearly one-and-a-half months after imposing the lockdown across the country, the government announced to ease the lockdown in phases, however, the number of coronavirus cases has continued to soar.
Meanwhile, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued registration letters for import and manufacturing of Remdesivir used for critically ill patients of COVID-19.
According to spokesman Ministry of National Health Services, on increasing demand, approvals are issued to two importers and 14 local manufacturers.
He said Remdesivir is approved for emergency use in a special emergency meeting in order to ensure early availability.
Moreover, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Zafar Mirza on Sunday said that Pakistan is self-sufficient in manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
While talking to a private news channel, he said that a research conducted by national institutions reveals that wearing masks reduces chance of coronavirus infection up to 50 percent.
The SAPM stressed the need to maintain social distancing, frequent washing of hands, avoid visiting crowded places and special care of elders to successfully control the pandemic.
It is pertinent to mention that the global coronavirus cases have reportedly surpassed 9 million and death toll tops 470,000.
