K-P coronavirus tally climbs to 3,499

Nine deaths, 221 new cases reported in last 24hrs

PESHAWAR: With 221 new cases, the toll of coronavirus (Covid-19) patients has climbed to 3,499 in the province during the past 24 hours.

Adviser to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister on Information and Public Relations said this while briefing media on Wednesday in the provincial capital.

Elaborating the Covid-19 daily situation report of the K-P Health Department, Wazir said that at least nine people have died of coronavirus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 194 in the province.

The adviser said that at least 19 coronavirus patients have recovered in a single day in K-P.  At least 875 coronavirus patients have fully recovered, he added.

The provincial adviser said that the government is tackling the coronavirus and poverty at the same time.

He said the decisions taken by the Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting will be implemented in letter and spirit.

Wazir informed that the country was already suffering from the economic crisis and the available resources did not allow a complete lockdown since many people live below the poverty line.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is concerned about those living below the poverty line and that is why the policies being framed focused the underprivileged,” he added.

The information adviser informed some 60,000 people arrived in the province during the last six months from Iran, Afghanistan, and Gulf countries adding people were traced and checked for Covid-19 besides those arriving recently were quarantined.

He informed that those who developed symptoms were isolated and those who did not were sent to their homes adding that initially only 200 persons could be tested for coronavirus, however, the capacity was increased almost to 1,500 per day which will be enhanced to 2,000 in the coming few weeks. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2020.