Protective gear to last a week sent to 152 hospitals: Dr Zafar Mirza

ISLAMABAD: A week's supply of protective gear has been dispatched to 152 hospitals across the country, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said Thursday, as the country battles coronavirus, the cases of which have been rising exponentially.

The paramedical staff and health professionals should use the personal protective equipment (PPE) — which includes N-95 masks, glasses, and protective kits — wisely, Mirza added, while addressing a press conference.

The special assistant also requested the public to realise the gravity of the situation and act with utmost care under the prevailing condition to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also shared the latest official statistics of coronavirus cases in Pakistan, noting that the number of infected people stood at 4,462, of which 102 were in Islamabad, 2,214 in Punjab, 1,128 in Sindh, 560 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 212 in Balochistan, 33 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 213 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Read more: Live updates on coronavirus

"The death rate in Pakistan stands at 1.46%," he said, adding that at least 85% of the deceased include people above 50. Meanwhile, 572 patients had recovered, 63 passed away, and 31 were in critical condition, he added.

Pakistan's coronavirus lockdown is set to continue till April 14.

The worldwide number of officially confirmed fatalities from the novel coronavirus now stands at above 81,000, according to a Reuters tally.

More than a million declared cases were registered in 213 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these, at least 253,000 are now considered recovered.