Pakistani lawmaker dies of COVID-19

By Kiran Butt

LAHORE, Pakistan (AA) - A lawmaker from Pakistan's northeastern Punjab province died on Wednesday due to coronavirus.

Shaheen Raza, 70, belonged to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

On Saturday night, she was quarantined at a hospital in Gujranwala city after she showed symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

After testing positive for the virus, she was moved to the provincial capital of Lahore.

Dr. Asad Aslam, chief executive of Mayo Hospital where she died, said: "She was already a patient of diabetes and hypertension and was put on a ventilator for the last two days."

Meanwhile, President Arif Alvi while addressing a ration distribution ceremony in Islamabad urged people to offer Eid prayers at home, despite a court ruling to end nationwide lockdown.

Pakistan Railways resumed partial service on Wednesday, while domestic flights have already started operations.

The number of coronavirus patients has jumped to 45,898 nationwide, according to official figures.

The death toll has risen to 969 with 48 more fatalities.

After emerging in China last December, the virus has spread to 188 countries and territories.

Globally, more than 4.9 million people have been infected with the virus, over 323,000 died, and an upward of 1.7 million recovered, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.