First Pakistani doctor dies from coronavirus

Usama Riaz, a young doctor of Gilgit Baltistan, died from coronavirus on Sunday, taking the toll to four nationwide.

Confirming the news, Gilgit Baltistan spokesperson Faizullah Firaq said that Dr Usama would be given national hero award. Dr Usama led from the front against coronavirus, he added.

According to the details, Dr Usama Riaz, who hails from Chilas of Diamer district in GB, was admitted to Gilgit District Headquarter Hospital on Friday night after falling unconscious.

Addressing a press conference in Gilgit on Saturday, the office bearers of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said Dr Usama is the first Pakistani doctor who got affected by coronavirus after dealing with suspected patients. “Dr Usama should be declared a national hero for his bravery against fighting the coronavirus,” they said.

They blamed the lack of facilities and the government’s negligence for Dr Usama’s condition, emphasising that he could have saved himself had he been provided with the required medical equipment like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits specific to coronavirus.

As many as 70 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Punjab and 41 in Sindh on Sunday, taking the total number of patients in Pakistan to 757.