‘I can confirm that until now there is no corona-related death in Pakistan’

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday rejected the reports of first death from coronavirus in the country and said that the 90-year-old patient who died in Gilgit-Baltistan has tested negative for the virus, ARY NEWS reported.

In a message posted on micro-blogging site-Twitter, Dr Zafar Mirza said: “I can confirm that until now there is no corona related death in [Pakistan].”

He said that a report aired on a local television channel about death in Gilgit-Baltistan was incorrect.

“The coronavirus test of the patient is [negative]. I request media reporters that in rush to break the news first, please don’t misreport.  Check your facts twice,” he said while giving 261 first update of the virus on his Twitter feed.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the GB government has also retracted from his remarks aired on the ARY NEWS and said that the 90-year-old patient has tested negative.

Earlier, Spokesman of Gilgit-Baltistan Government Faizullah Firaq said while talking to ARY NEWS that a 90-year-old patient has died in the region after suffering from the virus.

“The elderly victim hailed from Chilas district of the region,” he said.

The spokesman said that the patient was suffering from severe flu and pneumonia. “We have currently 13 confirmed cases of the virus,” he said adding that all of them had arrived from Iran at Taftan border.

It is pertinent to mention here that the country has reported over 250 cases of the coronavirus with Sindh being the most affected province witnessing over 200 confirmed cases.