Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has assured that there is "no need for people to panic", adding that there is enough capacity in the province's hospitals to deal with Covid-19 patients.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, she said that 42 per cent of ventilators and 63.2pc of intensive care unit beds are currently occupied. However, she said that "patients cannot go to whichever hospital they wish since beds might be fully occupied there. This is not a wish programme where you can just go to the hospital you want [without inquiring about bed availability]".

She added that the Punjab government would soon launch patient information desks in all hospitals so the relatives of admitted patients could be kept updated about their condition.