Pakistan's number of coronavirus cases has surpassed the 100,000-mark after 4,728 new infections were identified in the last 24 hours, while the death toll reached 2,067 with 65 fresh fatalities, health officials said on Monday. Out of the total 103,671 cases, Punjab has registered 38,903, Sindh 38,108, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 13,487, Balochistan 6,516, Islamabad 5,329, Gilgit-Baltistan 932 and Pakistan-occupied (Azad) Kashmir 396 cases, the Ministry of National Health Services reported. It said that 65 more patients died due to COVID-19, taking the number of deaths to 2,067 in the country. The south Asian nation, which has registered 103,671 infections of the novel coronavirus, lifted its lockdown last month but promulgated protocols for the reopening of markets, industries and public transport — including mandatory wearing of masks and social distancing. "First we educated the masses about the protocols, then we warned them, and now, in the last meeting with the prime minister in the chair, we directed administrations to crack down on places protocols are not being followed," Pakistan's Planning Minister Asad Umar told the media at the weekend. Many markets and shops have been sealed because of non-compliance over the last few days, said Umar, who also heads the national response to the pandemic. Pakistan has been setting records for the number of new daily infections over the last 10 days, partly reflecting increased testing. But of the 23,000 tests daily, more than 1 in 5 have been positive over the last 10 days. Before the lockdown was lifted on May 9, the number of tests finding the coronavirus was approximately 1 in 10, government statistics show. Government officials say safety protocols are not being followed, particularly since just before the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The decision to lift the lockdown on May 9 despite increasing infections of the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, was prompted by a worsening economic crisis and unemployment. Pakistan is the 16th country to exceed 100,000 infections. The virus spread has yet to peak in Pakistan, officials say. — Agencies
