Coronavirus cases in Pak cross 1,60,000-mark; death toll reaches 3,093

Islamabad, Jun 18 (PTI) Pakistan's coronavirus death toll crossed 3,000 with 118 more patients succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours, while the total number of infections surpassed the 1,60,000-mark, the health ministry said on Thursday.

As many as 59,215 patients have recovered from the disease.

A total of 982,012 COVID-19 tests, including 31,500 in the last 24 hours, were conducted in the country, the ministry said.

With the detection of 5,358 new coronavirus cases, the total tally now stands at 160,118, it said.

The country also registered 118 COVID-19 fatalities overnight, pushing the death toll to 3,093, it said.

Punjab reported the maximum number of 60,138 coronavirus cases, followed by 59,983 in Sindh, 19,613 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9,637 in Islamabad, 8,794 in Balochistan, 1,213 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 740 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday said so far there is no effective treatment for coronavirus in the world.

Dexamethasone can be used for critical patients, he said. However, he urged people not to take the medicine without doctor's advice.

The UK government on Wednesday authorised the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) to use Dexamethasone, a steroid, to treat COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant on National Security Moeed Yusuf said 25 per cent air space has been reopened for repatriation of Pakistanis stranded abroad due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

He said efforts are being made to bring back all the stranded Pakistanis within a month.