Pak PM warns coronavirus crisis could continue for months as tally rises to over 16,000

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday warned that the coronavirus crisis could continue for months and lockdown was not a solution to the pandemic, as the total number of the COVID-19 infections rose to 16,117 with 358 deaths so far in the county.

"We don’t know if the current situation will continue for six months or a year," Khan said while addressing the media along with his top advisors. "I know that the worst hit due to the lockdown will be poor."

Khan said the government so far disbursed 81 billion rupees among 6.6 million deserving families under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

He said the third category of the programme covered all provinces and Sindh was given the maximum relief funds under the Ehsaas programme.

He said the COVID-19 brought major devastation in counties like the United States and Italy, but the circumstances are quite different in Pakistan. He said the death rate in the country from the virus was lower than feared.

Khan said the COVID-19 Tigers Force would be made operational from next week and would be asked to go the rural areas and help the people.

Planning Minister Asad Umar said that the coronavirus was still under control in the country. “It is true that we have a big number of cases and deaths. The number of deaths will increase in the coming days but our situation is not as bad as other countries," he said.

He said that easing of the lockdown after May 9 will depend on whether people were following the restrictions and social distancing measures or not.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Health Service said that Pakistan’s coronavirus cases jumped to 16,117. It showed that Punjab reported 6,061 cases, Sindh 6,053, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 2,313, Balochistan 978, Gilgit-Baltistan 333, Islamabad 313 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 66 cases.

It said that 12 more patients died on Thursday, taking the death total toll to 358. So far 4,105 patients had recovered.

The authorities so far conducted 174,160 tests, including 8,249 on 29 April. The ministry also said that local transmission was 84 per cent and foreign travel 16 per cent.

The government said that 3,560 patients were admitted across the country in 717 hospitals with COVID-19 facilities, while others were isolated at their homes.

Meanwhile, the aviation ministry said that the suspension of domestic airline operation will continue until May 7.

Separately, the Islamabad administration sealed some areas in I-10 Sector after several cases of the coronavirus were found there.