PPP leader Murtaza Wahab has revealed that the number of female patients of the novel coronavirus has increased after relaxations in lockdown were introduced ahead of Eidul Fitr.

He said that earlier, 33 patients out of every 100 were women. Now, the percentage of women being infected has gone up to 28.5pc in the past 10 days.

He further said that even though schools across Sindh have been closed since February, 1,148 children have so far tested positive for the virus. Addressing the perception that the virus does not pose a serious risk to young people, Wahab said that children under the age of 10 were also among those who had succumbed to Covid-19.

"They were our children who had probably been indoors but [were infected] because protective measures were not taken in their houses," he said.