LIVE: New survey for Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme to be conducted in Waziristan as national tally hits 192,970.

MUZAFFARABAD -- The novel coronavirus emerged in the central China city of Wuhan towards the end of last year and proliferated to almost the whole world within a couple of months. It's not the virulence or fatality, but the infectivity of the new virus - also known as SARS-CoV-2 - that has set off a global frenzy.

The Covid-19 respiratory illness caused By: this mysterious contagion has so far infected more than 9.1 million people in 202 countries and territories of the world - and over 472,000 of them have died and counting.

Pakistan, despite its close proximity with China, remained coronavirus-free until February 26 when a young man from Karachi tested positive after returning from Iran - one of the worst-hit countries. After a brief hiatus following the first case, Covid-19 cases spiked as more pilgrims returning from Iran tested positive for the virus.

Nearly one-and-a-half months after imposing the lockdown across the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced to ease the lockdown in phases.

The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients stands at 192,970 with 71,191 cases in Punjab, 74,070 in Sindh, 23,887 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 9,817 in Balochistan, 1,365 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 11,710 in Islamabad and 930 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The virus has claimed at least 3,903 lives while around 81,307 coronavirus patients have recovered.

The situation remains fluid and we're updating stats as soon as new figures are officially released.

Follow The Express Tribune's live coverage of the pandemic here.

live-updates-9451

10:20am: Gadani Ship Breaking Yard reopens amid COVID-19 pandemic

Gadani Ship Breaking Yard has resumed operation on conditional permission of fully implementing standard operating producers to avoid coronavirus.

According to an official handout, the Gadani Ship Breaking Yard service was restarted on the special instructions of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal Khan.

Pakistan Ship Breakers Association has also appreciated Provincial government for the step.

line-945-1524832522

9:45am: Smart lockdown expanded to posh areas in Lahore

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid said on Wednesday that several more areas of Lahore are being placed under complete lockdown for a week to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

She said while addressing a press conference that important areas, including Gulberg, Model Town, Garden Town, Faisal Town, DHA, Gulshan Ravi and Walled City, will be sealed for one week.

Dr Rashid said...