ISLAMABAD: The number of known coronavirus related deaths in Pakistan reached 100 on Tuesday, as four more people have succumbed to the disease in country’s southern province of Sindh.
The number of confirmed infection cases has crossed 5,700, while over 1,370 patients are known to have recovered, according to data from the Health Ministry.
The actual number is likely to be much higher. According to Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Pakistan has been conducting only 800 COVID-19 tests a day.
The country is going to increase its daily coronavirus testing capacity to 25,000 by the end of April, the minister said after the National Coordination Committee’s meeting on Monday.
Meanwhile, despite more than three weeks of lockdowns across the country, the infection rate is on the rise. As the lockdowns were supposed to end on Tuesday, it is expected that the federal government may extend them further.
All educational institutions, shopping malls are shut down. Inter-city transport, railways and domestic air operations remain suspended.
On Monday, the Ministry of Interior extended for another two weeks the closure of the country’s eastern border — with India — and western borders — with Iran and Afghanistan.
Two border crossings, in Torkham and Chaman, remain open three days a week, allowing cargo trucks to cross over to Afghanistan.
