Sindh minister dies from coronavirus as toll reaches 1,644

KARACHI – Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch on Tuesday lost his life to novel coronavirus as number of total cases in Pakistan rose to a total of 77,837.

Sindh government spokesperson Senator Murtaza Wahab confirmed the death of the PPP leader on Twitter.

Haji Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, our colleague in #Sindh Cabinet has passed away today. He was suffering from #COVIDー19. He was a genuine political worker & a very polite and humble human being. May Allah SWT bless his soul.

— SenatorMurtaza Wahab (@murtazawahab1) June 2, 2020

On May 14, the minister had been diagnosed with the infection later he was placed on ventilator at a private hospital after health condition deteriorated.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has expressed deep grief over the demise of his minister.

The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to a total of 77,837, according to government data till Tuesday afternoon.

The death toll related to COVID-19 has reached 1,644, according to the National Command and Control Centre, while at least 28,058 patients have fully recovered.

Punjab has reported highest number of deaths, a total of 540, while Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follow with 526 and 482 fatalities respectively. Balochistan has recorded 49 deaths; Islamabad, 30; Gilgit Baltistan, 11; and Azad Kashmir, 6.

The first two fatalities from COVID-19, as the illness is officially known, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 18 (Wednesday).