LAHORE: A record 1,073 people tested positive for the Covid-19 in a day across Punjab while 13 confirmed patients died of the virus.

Of the total new confirmed patients, 499 were reported from Lahore, 209 from Rawalpindi, 69 from Multan, 65 Gujranwala and 64 from Sialkot.

The number of deaths in Punjab is now 310. Of the new deaths, seven occurred in Lahore. The deaths were also reported from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.

According to the department, total 5,931 tests were performed during the last 24 hours in Punjab.

CONTACTS: As many as 2,567 people who were in contact with 8,821 confirmed patients of the Covid-19 in Punjab have so far tested positive for the virus.

A spokesperson for the health department said the health teams traced total 53,736 contacts of the confirmed patients of the coronavirus since outbreak of the pandemic in the province. Out of them, 2,567 were diagnosed with the virus while the results of 2,450 were awaited.

SIALKOT: The total number of the coronavirus patients increased to 695 in Sialkot district with 72 fresh cases reported on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Nasir Mehmood Bashir said the number of infections was increasing day by day and situation was alarming in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils. He said the Covid-19 test reports of 72 already quarantined people came positive.

The DC said that Covid-19 patients were admitted to the Govt Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot, and Corona Field Hospital, Sialkot, for their further medical healthcare under the supervision of the district health department.

Meanwhile, Sialkot-based senior physician Dr Ikram Qureshi, 85, died of the coronavirus at the Mayo Hospital, Lahore. He was running his private clinic on the Maharaja Road, Sialkot, where he got infected with the Covid-19. He remained under treatment at the Mayo Hospital for about one month and breathed his last on Friday. He was buried in his native graveyard in Sialkot.

TOBA TEK SINGH: A Covid-19 patient, belonging to Kamalia, died at the Govt General Hospital Ghulam Muhammadabad.

The deceased was referred to Faisalabad a few days back. He was laid to rest at Chak 714-GB.

SHEIKHUPURA: The death toll of Covid-19 in the district rose to 18 as a woman died here.

The victim, Naziran, a resident to Sangla, was shifted to the DHQ Hospital three days back where she tested positive. After the announcement of the smart lockdown, the speed of the pandemic in both districts of Sheikhupura and Nankana had increased.

During last five days, five deaths had been reported while 12 people tested reports positive. In Muridke, nine members of a family were isolated in their house as their test reports appeared to be positive.

The family head was already in hospital.

GUJRAT: Two suspected patients of Covid-19 died here at the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital on Friday as results of their samples were awaited.

Suleman, a 29 years old resident of Marghzar Colony, was admitted to the hospital on May 20 with severe respiratory problem and mild fever. He was put on ventilator the same day but he expired on Friday afternoon.

Similarly, 68 years old Ghulam Qadir of Gujjarpura was admitted to the hospital on May 21 with severe respiratory problem. He was put on ventilator but he could not recover.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2020