Coronavirus claims 19 more lives in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan

At least 19 people in Pakistan died from the novel coronavirus over the past, the highest single-day spike since Sept. 2, country’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The fresh fatalities raised the death toll to 6,692. Another 660 people tested positive for coronavirus over the past day, bringing the tally to 324,744, the ministry said. Some 308,674 patients have so far recovered.

The COVID-19 cases had dropped considerably in the South Asian country in recent months, prompting the government to completely lift a longstanding lockdown.

The number of cases dropped from nearly 7,000 per day to about 400, with daily fatalities hovering in the single digits.

However, cases doubled over the past one month after schools reopened in September, forcing the government to reimpose the lockdown in several parts of the commercial capital Karachi and the country’s second-largest city Lahore.

Warning about a second wave of COVID-19, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged people to strictly follow the safety precautions.

Pakistani-administered Kashmir also reimposed a lockdown earlier this month to help curb the spread of the virus.