MINGORA: Seven more people died after contracting Covid-19 across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising total death toll due to the deadly virus to 74 in the province till Tuesday evening.

Three of the deceased belong to Swat, where so far 11 people have died of coronavirus.

According to official data, a total of 1,276 persons have so far tested positive for Covid-19 including 297 people, who have fully recovered from it.

According to officials of Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat three Covid-19 patients died at the high dependency unit of the hospital during the last 24 hours.

A 70-year-old woman of Esakhela Mohallah in Mingora died late on Monday.

Similarly, a 75-year-old man, who also tested positive for the virus, was shifted to the high dependency unit of the hospital but he passed away early on Tuesday morning.

Another 60-year-old patient was admitted to the same unit of the hospital after he tested positive. He died early in the morning on Tuesday. According to hospital sources all the three deceased had comorbidities.

Total number of patients reaches 1,276 in the province

According to district health department, 18 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Swat, taking the tally to 106. Of the 713 suspected cases, 477 were declared negative, results of 13 were awaited and 29 patients recovered so far.

Our correspondent from Swabi adds: A patient of coronavirus died on Tuesday, said health officials.

Deputy Commissioner Shahid Mehmood confirmed the death of 65-year-old patient, who was declared positive for coronavirus on April 18. The deceased belonged to Karnal Sher Khan village of Razaar tehsil.

His funeral prayer was offered in thesil headquarters hospital in Razaar. A limited number of people attended his funeral and no outsider was allowed to enter the hospital. Later, the deceased was buried by the staff.

Our correspondent from Chitral adds: Five persons, who had reached the district from different parts of the country including Gilgit-Baltistan, tested positive for Covid-19.

Dr Shamim, the medical superintendent of district headquarters hospital, said that 20 persons admitted to different quarantine centres in the district were shifted to the hospital four days ago. He said that their swab samples were sent to the laboratory of Khyber Medical University, Peshawar for test.

Dr Shahmim said that four of the 20 persons tested positive for Covid-19.

He said that results of the tests of four family members of a patient and 13 fellow inmates of the quarantine centre were still awaited.

Assistant Commissioner Abdul Wali Khan said that Mohalla Shahabuddin was sealed and mobility of the residents was restricted till the results of the tests of the family members of patient were received.

The fifth patient, a resident of Laspur valley, had been detected in tehsil headquarters hospital in Booni. He had travelled to Chitral from Hunza valley of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Our correspondent from Kohat adds: A patient of Covid-19 tested negative at the isolation ward of Mishti Mela hospital in Orakzai tribal district and was discharged on Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner Wasil Khattak told journalists that the patient was a member of Tableeghi Jamaat.

He had come to the area from Balochistan 17 days ago. After testing positive for the virus, he was admitted to the isolation ward.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2020