ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday reported 141 deaths from COVID-19, one of its highest tallies since May.
According to Pakistan’s National Command and Operations Center, more than 4,000 new coronavirus infections were also reported in the past 24 hours.
The surge comes amid widespread violations of social distancing and new rules regarding vaccinations.
Pakistan announced Tuesday vaccinations will be required of teachers, professors, school staff and students older than 17 and unvaccinated people will be barred from entering educational institutions starting October 15.
Unvaccinated people also will not be allowed to use public transport or enter shopping malls from October 15.
Pakistan, with a population of about 220 million, has reported more than 1,134,000 infections and 25,220 deaths in the pandemic.
Pakistan sees surging coronavirus infections, deaths
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Pakistan sees surging coronavirus infections, deaths
- Cases rise amid widespread violations of social distancing and rules regarding vaccinations
- Government says unvaccinated won’t be allowed to use public transport, enter shopping malls from October 15
One dead, four injured as gas cylinder explosion triggers fire in Karachi building
- Fire triggered by gas cylinder explosion in Karachi’s Bismillah Residency in North Nazimabad area, say police
- Many households in Pakistan rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders which are susceptible to gas explosions
ISLAMABAD: One person was killed while four others were injured in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi after a gas cylinder exploded, triggering a fire inside a residential building, police and rescue officials said on Sunday.
The fire was caused on Saturday night by a gas cylinder explosion at a flat in Bismillah Residency located in Karachi’s North Nazimabad area, Sindh Police said in a statement. Local media reports said the flat was located on the ninth floor of the high-rise building.
Rescue 1122 Sindh emergency service said its firefighters arrived shortly after the fire was reported and doused the flames on Sunday morning. It said all of the building’s occupants, except for the one person who was killed by the fire, were rescued.
“The child who died in the fire that broke out following a cylinder blast in a building has been identified as Burhan, son of Aoun, aged 15,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson said in a statement.
It said the injured included two women, one man and a four-year-old girl.
“All the injured were shifted to hospital after receiving immediate medical aid, and the rescue operation has been completed,” the spokesperson added.
This is the second such explosion to take place in Karachi in less than a week. At least 15 people were killed, including women and children, when a gas cylinder exploded in a residential building in the city’s Soldier Bazaar area on Thursday.
Most houses and apartment buildings in Karachi, like elsewhere in Pakistan, are supplied with natural gas for cooking. However, many households also rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure.
In July, a gas explosion following a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, killed eight people, including the bride and groom.
A massive fire at a popular shopping mall in Karachi last month killed over 70 people.
