The emergency department of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) — one of Karachi's biggest public hospitals — was sealed on Sunday after a doctor tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

A senior official at the hospital told Dawn.com that the chief medical officer (CMO) at ASH tested positive for Covid-19.

Dr Saleem Shaikh, additional police surgeon at the hospital added that the emergency department was sealed around 3pm after the doctor's test came back positive.

At least 253 healthcare providers and medical workers have been infected with the coronavirus in Pakistan so far, according to data shared by the National Emergency Operation Centre earlier this week.

Based on the report, which comprised data up until April 22, 124 doctors, 39 nurses and and 90 health workers have been infected by the virus in the country.

In Sindh, the total number of infected medical workers stands at 56, according to the report; this includes 19 doctors, 15 nurses and 22 other healthcare providers. Of these, 41 are admitted to hospitals and 15 have been discharged.

However, in a press conference held on Wednesday in Karachi by senior doctors, it was shared that in Sindh alone, 162 health professionals had tested positive.

Editorial: Medical professionals are putting their lives on the line each day

Medical associations all over the country are asking the government to not ease the lockdown measures as doing so at the moment can lead to a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.