The total number of cases in Pakistan jumped from 39 to 52 on Sunday after 17 new cases were reported in Sindh while Punjab reported its first and Islamabad its second.
According to Sindh government spokesperson Barrister Murtaza Wahab, 13 of the latest cases were of pilgrims who had been quarantined at the Taftan border before their arrival in Sukkur.
So far 13 people have tested positive of #COVIDー19 from amongst the people who arrived in Sukkur from Taaftaan. These people were purportedly kept in quarantine at the border
— SenatorMurtaza Wahab (@murtazawahab1) March 15, 2020
Earlier in the day, the Sindh health department had reported four new cases, three of whom had recent travel history of Saudi Arabia. The fourth case had no recent travel history.
Read more: Pakistan conducting coronavirus tests free of cost: Dr Zafar Mirza
During a meeting of the provincial task force on coronavirus, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the chief health secretary to acquire more kits for testing. "We are making full efforts to control the situation but the people also have to take precautions," the chief minister said.
Punjab's first case reported in Lahore
Meanwhile, the first coronavirus case in Lahore is a 54-year-old man who tested positive on Sunday. He showed some symptoms of coronavirus after which he was admitted to the Mayo Hospital in Lahore on Saturday night. He had recently returned from the United Kingdom.
The second patient of Islamabad was the husband of a woman who had tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday.
