Dr Atif Hafeez Siddiqui of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has said at a press conference that the medical community demands a "strict and complete" lockdown and prevention of congregations of all sorts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

He said although such restrictions might cause hardship to the poor, "we have not seen anyone dying of hunger" since the virus entered Pakistan. Through philanthropy and NGOs' efforts, people could be saved from hunger even during a lockdown, the doctor suggested.