LAHORE: The Covid-19 claimed lives of 33 more people during the last 24 hours in Punjab, taking the death toll to 5,084.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed cases in Punjab reached 164,696 across the province after 428 more people tested positive for the virus during the same period.

Of the new cases, 260 were reported from Lahore where the total number of confirmed cases reached 83,433 and deaths 2,026.

Others were reported from Jhang, Bahawalnagar, Khushab, Layyah, Sheikhupura, Narowal, Gujrat, Kasur, Okara, Bhakkar, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Chinot, Jhelum, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin, Khanewal, Nankana Sahib, Hafi zabad, Lodhran, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, and Muzaffargarh.

A spokesperson for the health department said the deaths are frequently taking place in Punjab and one of the main reasons was the delay in taking patients to hospitals after complications. He said over 200 government hospitals were providing treatment facilities to Covid-19 patients across the province. He said the health teams performed 10,569 tests during the last 24 hours across the province.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2021