LAHORE: As many as 130 more people including another provincial minister tested positive for Covid-19 in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

Of the new cases, 69 were reported from Lahore and 13 from Multan while others were reported from Nankana Sahib, Rahim Yar Khan, Lodhran, Vehari, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Mianwali, Sahiwal, Bahawalngar, DG Khan, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum and Khanewal.

According to the official updates of Covid-19 released by the primary & secondary healthcare department Punjab, two more critical patients died of the virus across the province, taking the death toll to 2,283.

An official said Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan tested positive for the virus in a report carried out by a private lab. He has isolated himself at his home, he said, adding that a couple of days back two ministers and as many senior government officers had been confirmed positive.

The official said the Punjab government had performed 1,419,284 Covid-19 tests since the pandemic hit the province. It was conducting on average 11,000 tests daily in Punjab, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2020