Coronavirus: Pakistan reports 4th death due to COVID-19 on Sunday as the country heads towards lockdown

Dubai: Pakistan has reported 4th death of a coronavirus infected patient on Sunday.

This is the third death in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Ajman Wazir, a spokesperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government told media on Sunday that a woman who tested positive for the virus had passed away on later aturday. She had recently returned from Iran. He said that province has 31 confirmed and 179 suspected cases of the COVID-19.

Coronavirus cases across Pakistan has risen to 646 with 292 cases in Sindh; 104 in Balochistan; 152 in Punjab; 55 in Gilgit-Baltistan; 11 in Islamabad; and one in Pakistan Administered Kashmir. The figure was updated at 1pm UAE time.

Sindh lockdown

Meanwhile, Sindah government is expected to announce a complete lockdown on Sunday as it has requested deployment of army in the province which is the worst-hit in the country. The provincial government has already shut down all markets, shopping malls and restaurants from Sunday 9am to March 24 due to massive increase in number of cases. The government has allowed to home delivery of food parcels.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also suspended inter-district public transport for seven days with effect from 9am on March 23.

Train service

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways has announced to stop train service on a number of routes as the number of passengers have reduced by more than 30 per cent.

Punjab calls army

Also, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has requisitioned the Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the Constitution to aid the civil administration in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Buzdar clarified that rumours of a food shortage in the province were false and urged citizens to adopt precautionary measures as advised by the government.

Balochistan government has already requested for the army deployment to deal with coronavirus situation