Pakistan reports 2,964 new coronavirus cases taking tally to 72,000

Islamabad: Pakistan's coronavirus cases on Monday crossed 72,000-mark with 2,964 new patients while the death toll climbed to 1,543 after 60 people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, health officials said.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 2,964 new infections surfaced over the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally of coronavirus to 72,460.

The death toll reached 1,543 after 60 more deaths were reported during the last 24 hours.

According to the ministry, 28,245 cases have been diagnosed in Sindh, 26,240 in Punjab, 10,027 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 4,393 in Balochistan, 2,589 in Islamabad, 711 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 255 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The ministry showed that 26,083 patients have been recovered so far from the virus.

The authorities have conducted 561,136 tests, including 14,398 in the last 24 hours.

The month of May registered nearly 52,000 new coronavirus cases as the tally surged from 69,474 to 17,699 cases, while the death toll rose from 408 to 1,483.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair a crucial meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) which is expected to decide the future strategy to deal with the increasing threat of the pandemic on Monday.

The meeting will discuss different options, including lockdown which was eased about two weeks ago.

However, a minister said that increasing restrictions on people was not under active consideration.

'Lockdown option is always on the table, but it is not under active consideration,' Minister for Planning Asad Umar said on Sunday.

Umar heads the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) which recommends measures for consideration of NCC and also implements its decisions.

On May 9, Pakistan began easing the month-long lockdown despite a steady rise in the number of the coronavirus cases.

Prime Minister Khan had said that Pakistan would begin easing its nationwide lockdown in a phase-wise manner by allowing various businesses to open up, citing the economic crisis due to the shutdown, which was enforced in the country in March end.

Pakistan on Friday announced the resumption of outbound international flights from Saturday, over two months after the services were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.