Famed surgeon and vice chancellor of Multan's Nishtar Medical University, Dr Mustafa Kamal Pasha, passed away on Wednesday — a month after contracting the novel coronavirus.

Dr Pasha was diagnosed with Covid-19 on June 14 and was under treatment at Ch Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology, Nishtar Medical University's principal Dr Iftikhar said. He was shifted to a ventilator on July 6, he added.

The time of Dr Pasha's funeral prayers has yet to be announced.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also extended his condolences to the families of Dr Pasha and former school-fellow Nadeem Mumtaz — who also passed away after being diagnosed with the novel coroanvirus.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is suffering from the novel coronavirus himself, expressed his grief over Dr Pasha's death, saying he was "heart-stricken".

"Professor Dr Mustafa Kamal Pasha became a victim of the coronavirus while fighting against it," he said, adding that the services of the deceased will always be remembered.

The foreign minister prayed for the soul of the deceased and extended condolences to the family.

The University of Health Sciences, Lahore, also issued a condolence statement over the doctor's death, saying that Dr Pasha "lost his life as a frontline soldier in the war against Covid-19".

"A good soul has passed on, a good man has gone up to heaven. With a heavy heart, we part our beloved Prof Mustafa Kamal Pasha," the university said in its statement.

"It is indeed a great loss as we are deprived of a great teacher, exceptional surgeon and most loveable person."

A Twitter user shared an undated video clip of the doctor, in which he can be heard saying that he was in isolation and will recover soon.

Multiple doctors and healthcare staff across the country have succumbed to Covid-19 that has wreaked havoc across the globe.

Senior Karachi doctor passes away due to Covid-19

Meanwhile, renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr Younis Hayder Soomro also passed away due to the coronavirus in Karachi on Wednesday, according to Pakistan Medical Association Secretary General Qaiser Sajjad.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Sajjad said that Soomro had been diagnosed with the respiratory illness about a month ago. He was under treatment at the Ziauddin Hospital in Clifton where he practiced and had been on a ventilator for the past 15 days after complications arose due to his age, he said.

"He was a senior orthopedic surgeon and was a role model for young doctors in his field," Sajjad said. The PMA regretted losing a senior doctor because of the virus, he added.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari paid tribute to the late doctor, saying "professionals like Dr Soomro are the real heroes of the country". "He set a new standard by working tirelessly during the pandemic," he said.

Bilawal also paid tribute to the services of other health workers battling the country's Covid-19 outbreak on the frontlines.

PPP leader Faryal Talpur said Dr Soomro's death was a huge loss for the nation. His services rendered in the field of medicine are invaluable, she said.

"The pandemic is taking precious lives. We can save ourselves, our loved ones and the nation by following precautionary measures," she said.

Former Sindh minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also offered his condolences. "His services for the medical field are unforgettable," he said.