Pakistan's coronavirus cases rise to 11,155; 79% cases locally transmitted

About 79 per cent of total coronavirus cases in Pakistan are w locally transmitted, health authorities said on Friday as number of people affected by dely virus rose to over 11,000. According to Ministry of National Health Services, 13 more patients died due to vel coronavirus, taking toll to 237 and ar 2,527 recovered.

In last 24 hours, 642 new cases were reported, taking tally to 11,155 in country, health officials said on Friday. Punjab reported 4,767 patients, Sindh 3,671, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 1,541, Balochistan 607, Gilgit-Baltistan 300, Islamab 214 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 55 patients. So far, 13,365 tests have been done in country, including 6,839, during last 24 hours.

confirmed cases are steily increasing and officials have warned that peak would reach by end of May or beginning of June. National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday said that 79 per cent of se cases have been caused by local transmission of vel coronavirus. government has decided to introduce a track and trace system under which random testing of people will start in a few days.

whole situation has changed due to local transmission, it h been decided to change policy to tackle issue, Executive Director of National Institute of Health Professor Aamer Ikram was quoted as saying by Dawn.

"Earlier most of cases were being reported in those people who were coming from abro and even cases of local transmission were being reported among those who h come into contact with foreign travellers. However w a majority of cases are being attributed to local transmission of virus," he said.

Meanwhile, authorities also urged people to offer prayers at home on Friday when big congregations are held in mosques. Pakistan has allowed conditional congregational prayers in mosques during Ramzan, endangering drive to curb spre of coronavirus.