Coronavirus updates, May 25: Latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic from Pakistan and around the world
Officials have recorded more than 5.40 million cases and more than 343,800 deaths worldwide
Updated Monday May 25 2020
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 57,616 on Monday after new infections were confirmed in the country.
The province-wise break up of the total number of cases as of 12:20am, May 26, is as follows:
Total confirmed cases: 57,616
• Sindh: 22,934
• Punjab: 20,654
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 8,080
• Balochistan: 3,468
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 1,641
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 630
• AJK: 209
Deaths: 1,196
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 408
• Sindh: 369
• Punjab: 352
• Balochistan: 41
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 8
• Islamabad Capital Territory: 16
• AJK: 2
Officials have recorded more than 5.40 million cases and more than 343,800 deaths since the virus emerged in China in December, according to a Reuters tally.
Read on for the latest updates from Pakistan and around the world.
Disclaimer: There may be some discrepancy in the number of confirmed cases reported at the country level due to differences in figures quoted by federal and provincial authorities.
Geo News is constantly gathering fresh information from concerned authorities and striving to keep our readers up to date with the most accurate information available.
Orange: General updates coming in from Pakistan
Red: Reports on new cases in Pakistan
Maroon: Reports on new deaths in Pakistan
Green: Reports on recovered patients in Pakistan
END OF LIVE UPDATES FOR MAY 25
Live updates for May 26 to continue here.
12:20am (May 26) — Lahore, Pakistan — Punjab reports 15 deaths, 577 new cases
The Punjab disaster management authority has reported 15 more deaths, bringing the total number to 352 in the province.
Within the last 24 hours, 577 cases were also reported, bringing the total infections to 20,654.
11:42pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh health minister urges recovered patients to 'do a good deed', donate plasma
Sindh health minister Dr Azra Pechuho has urged patients who recovered from the virus to "do a good deed" and donate their plasma so other patoents may benefit.
She said that Sindh's cases are on the rise and plasma is sorely needed to save lives.
"For passive immunisation therapy we will need plasma from recovered patients.
"Recovered patients should do a good deed and help out the Sindh government," she said.
Pechuho said that with the efforts of Sindh's doctors, passive immunisation has shown positive results in the treatment of coronavirus patients.
"The collection of plasma will be done under the blood transfusion authority and with adherence to SOPs," she said.
11:30pm — Quetta, Pakistan — Balochistan reports one more death,
Balochistan health department has reported one more death in the province, which takes the grim total to 41 in the province.
Sixty-one new cases were also reported, taking the tally of cases to 3,468.
10:05pm — Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan — Region reports one more death, 11 cases
No virus deaths in Ireland for the first time
9:25pm — Karachi, Pakistan — Murtaza Wahab compliments 'brave' families with serving doctors
08:57pm — Karachi, Pakistan — No truth in reports of curfew: Murtaza Wahab
Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has said that there is no truth to reports that the Sindh government has decided to impose a curfew.
"The report is completely false," he said, urging the people to not pay heed to misleading news.
He urged the people to continue to exercise caution and cooperate with the government in curbing the virus' spread.
"People should avoid stepping out of their homes unless absolutely necessary," Wahab said.
IKEA store in Germany lends space for Eid prayers
08:19pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — Ajmal Wazir warns of tough restrictions if violation of SOPs continue
Information advisor for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ajmal Wazir Khan has said people should be careful on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and maintain social distancing as the threat of the virus still remains.
Talking to the media, he said the lockdown was eased keeping in view the economic situation of people, not because the virus was no longer a threat.
He urged people to be careful, maintain social distancing and avoid going to public places because the virus was still very dangerous.
Khan said if precautionary measures are ignored and the virus starts to spread, the government would be compelled to take tough decisions.
07:26pm — Brussels, Belgium — Belgium will not return to tough lockdown: minister
Belgium will not return to the strict measures imposed for nearly two months to combat the coronavirus outbreak even if there is a second wave of COVID-19 cases, the country’s interior minister has said.
The country of 11.5 million people effectively closed down in mid-March, with only shops selling food and pharmacies operating, although other activities have steadily resumed in May, including the reopening of non-food stores.
“The first lockdown has taken care of the situation in which we have ended up. These were exceptional circumstances, but we never had Italian or Spanish conditions,” Pieter De Crem told VTM broadcaster on Sunday.
He said the tough lockdown measures meant that Belgian hospitals did not have to deny people medical care.
“If there was a second wave, then I think we will find ourselves in a different situation, namely with testing and tracing. But I think we can rule out that we will have to go back to the tough measures,” De Crem said.
Belgium, home to EU and NATO headquarters, has been among the worst affected countries in Europe with 57,092 COVID-19 cases and 9,280 deaths, although the number of cases, hospital admissions and fatalities has declined since peaking in early April.
07:21pm — Manila, Philippines — Five new deaths, 284 infections reported
The Philippines’ health ministry has reported five additional novel coronavirus deaths and 284 more infections, the largest daily increase of cases in two weeks.
In a bulletin, the ministry said total deaths have increased to 873, while confirmed cases have risen to 14,319. But 74 more patients have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 3,323.
06:50pm — Peshawar, Pakistan — KP reports 10 more deaths
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has reported 10 more deaths in the province, breaching the grim milestone of 400 to hit 408.
A rise in the number of infections by 175 was also reported. The total number of cases in KP have now crossed 8,000 to reach 8,080.
06:09pm — Mumbai, India — India among 10 worst-hit COVID-19 nations as cases jump, air travel reopens
India has posted its biggest single-day jump in cases of COVID-19, overtaking Iran to become one of the 10 worst-hit nations, even as the government allowed domestic air travel to restart.
India reported another 6,977 cases, taking its total ot 138,845, according to government data, despite the world’s longest lockdown imposed in March by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Total deaths have passed 4,000.
The rise in new cases came as some businesses and travel reopened under a new phase of the national coronavirus lockdown.
Some passengers and crew members scheduled to board a flight on Monday at New Delhi airport said the mood at the terminal was sombre as security forces implemented strict social distancing norms and passengers donned masks.
While the federal government has not insisted that passengers be quarantined after their flights, some states have implemented their own quarantine measures, creating confusion among travellers.
WATCH: Drive-in cinemas making a comeback in virus-hit world
4:00pm - Washington, US — America limits travel from Brazil amid worsening coronavirus outbreak
The White House on Sunday said it was restricting travel from Brazil to the United States, two days after the South American nation became the world’s No. 2 hotspot for coronavirus cases.
The travel ban was a blow to right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has followed the example of U.S. President Donald Trump in addressing the pandemic, fighting calls for social distancing and touting unproven drugs. The Brazilian president’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
3:45pm- Karachi, Pakistan — In a first, more recoveries than cases recorded: CM Sindh
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday said that it was the first instance since the emergence of the pandemic that the tally of recovered patients is higher than the new infected cases reported for novel coronavirus in the province.
"About 1852 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, out of which 443 tested positive whereas 614 patients recovered and went home," the minister said in a statement,adding that this is the first time when the recovered patients are more than the new cases reported for the virus.
3:20pm- Peshawar, Pakistan — KP chief secretary tests positive for coronavirus
Chief Secretary KP Dr Kazim Niaz tested positive for the coronavirus today, said KP minister Shaukat Yusufzai.
The provincial minister said that the KP chief secretary has gone under isolation and will continue to work from home.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Nehal Hashmi has also tested positive for the virus.
3:01pm- Karachi, Pakistan — Sindh reports 443 cases within last 24 hours; tally at 22,934
Chief Minister Sindh reported 443 new cases across the province on Monday with the tally rising to 22,934.
The CM Sindh said that two people died of the virus in the past 24 hours. The provincial death toll is at 369.
In Karachi, he said 214 new cases emerged — a noticeable drop in the previous tallies, showing either a consecutive rise or continued higher number of cases.
2:50pm- Multan, Pakistan — Repatriation of stranded Pakistanis continues
Around 285 passengers reached Multan from two flights arriving from Sharjah and Muscat today.
PIA flight PK-406 brought back 141 passengers to Multan while PK-382 repatriated 144 nationals to Multan.
106 passengers have been shifted to quarantine centre in Lodhran, while 35 were sent to a local hotel.
102 passengers were shifted to a quarantine centre in Multan, while 41 were taken to a hotel. One passenger was shifted to Nishtar Hospital.2:10pm - New York, US — Americans spend holiday at beaches and parks as virus death toll nears 100,000
Americans sunbathed on beaches, fished from boats and strolled on boardwalks this holiday weekend, even as the US death toll from COVID-19 fast approaches 100,000.
The Memorial Day weekend that signals the start of the US summer is normally a time when cemeteries across the nation fill with American flags and ceremonies to remember those who died in US wars.
This year it has also become a time to mourn the loss of more than 97,000 people due to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.
1:45pm – Lahore, Pakistan — CM Punjab expresses concern over violation of SOPs during Eid
Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar expressed concern over violation of SOPs during Eid at shopping malls and markets.
The CM Punjab appealed to citizens to ensure social distancing measures while meeting their loved ones.
He said that after Eid, decisions will be taken after reviewing the situation across the province.
1:20pm- Paris, France — Lowest daily rise in new coronavirus cases and deaths since lockdown
French authorities reported the smallest daily rise in new coronavirus cases and deaths on Sunday since before a lockdown began on March 17, raising hopes that the worst of the epidemic is over in France.
The number of confirmed cases rose by 115 to 144,921, health ministry data showed, and the death toll increased by 35 to 28,367 - an increase of just 0.1% for both tallies.
1:00pm - New Delhi, India — India among 10 worst-hit COVID-19 nations as cases jump; air travel reopens
India on Monday posted its biggest single-day jump in cases of COVID-19, overtaking Iran to become one of the 10 worst-hit nations, even as the government allowed domestic air travel to restart.
India reported another 6,977 cases, taking its total ot 138,845, according to government data, despite the world’s longest lockdown imposed in March by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Total deaths have passed 4,000.
12:35pm - Moscow, Russia — Coronavirus infections pass 350,000
Cases of the coronavirus in Russia climbed to 353,427 on Monday, having risen by 8,946 in the past 24 hours, the country’s coronavirus crisis response centre said.
It said the number of fatalities had risen by 92 overnight, taking the overall nationwide death toll from the virus to 3,633.
12:10pm – Quetta, Pakistan — President Young Doctors’ Association infected with coronavirus
The coronavirus test result of President Young Doctors’ Association Dr Yasir Achakzai came out positive on Monday.
According to the YDA spokesman, Dr Achakzai was on duty at the trauma and neurosurgery department of the Sandeman hospital in Quetta.
The doctor has gone into self-isolation, said the YDA spokesman.
11:45am - Doha, Qatar — Virus tracing app stirs rare privacy backlash
Privacy concerns over Qatar's coronavirus contact tracing app, a tool that is mandatory on pain of prison, have prompted a rare backlash and forced officials to offer reassurance and concessions.
Like other governments around the world, Qatar has turned to mobile phones to trace people''s movements and track who they come into contact with, allowing officials to monitor coronavirus infections and alert people at risk of contagion.
The apps use Bluetooth radio signals to "ping" nearby devices, which can be contacted subsequently if a user they have been near develops symptoms or tests positive, but the resultant unprecedented access to users' location data has prompted fears about state surveillance.11:20am- Wellington, New Zealand — Coronavirus curbs on public gatherings eased
New Zealand is easing back curbs on the size of gatherings to 100 people from 10, as it relaxes measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
Authorities will reconsider the nation’s alert setting, now at level 2, on June 8, with a move to level 1 to be considered no later than June 22, Ardern told a news conference following a cabinet meeting.
10:40am - Islamabad, Pakistan — Nationwide coronavirus tally reaches 56,349 after 1,748 new cases
The National Command and Operations Centre said that the nationwide coronavirus cases have reached 56,349 as of Monday morning.
The NCOC said that 1,748 new cases were reported in the past day, while the number of active cases is currently at 37,700.
In Sindh, there are 22,491 cases, while in Punjab the tally stood at 20,077.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the cases rose to 7,905 while in Balochistan the number reached 3,407.
Islamabad reported 1,641 cases while the tally reached 619 in Gilgit-Baltistan. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the number rose to 209.
The NCOC said that 361 patients are in a critical condition.
10:20am - Islamabad, Pakistan — 34 more deaths recorded across country, death toll now at 1,167: NCOC
The National Command and Operations Centre reported that more deaths occurred due to the virus across the country, after which the death toll reached 1,167 on Monday.
In Sindh, tally rose to 367 deaths, while in Punjab it reached 337, said the NCOC.
Balochistan reported 40 deaths, while Gilgit-Baltistan had seven casualties. Azad Jammu and Kashmir also reported two deaths, added the NCOC.
Photo: Cleaning crews ready for reopening in post-pandemic US
9:45am - London, UK — Boris Johnson risks party wrath to back aide who crossed UK during lockdown
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson backed his senior adviser Dominic Cummings on Sunday, despite calls from within his own Conservative Party for the aide to resign for driving 250 miles during the coronavirus lockdown.
Cummings, architect of the 2016 campaign to leave the EU, came under pressure when newspapers reported he had travelled from London to northern England in March when his wife was ill with COVID-19 symptoms during a nationwide lockdown.
9:20am - Berlin, Germany — Confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 289 to 178,570: RKI
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 289 to 178,570, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.
The reported death toll rose by 10 to 8,257, the data showed.
8:45am - Beijing, China — US pushing ties to brink of ´Cold War´, says China
China said Sunday that its relations with the United States were "on the brink of a new Cold War," fuelled partly by tensions over the coronavirus pandemic that has killed nearly 350,000 people worldwide and pitched the global economy into a massive downturn.
Fresh tensions between Beijing and Washington emerged as virus restrictions continued to shape and remake lives around the world, and in very different ways.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that Washington seemed infected by a "political virus" but that Beijing would nevertheless be open to an international effort to find the coronavirus source.
8:30am - Tokyo, Japan — Coronavirus emergency to be lifted as cases slow down
Japan was poised to lift its nationwide state of emergency over the coronavirus on Monday, gradually reopening the world´s third-biggest economy after new cases slowed to a crawl.
Compared to hard-hit areas in Europe, the United States, Russia and Brazil, Japan has been spared the worst of the pandemic, with 16,581 cases in total and 830 deaths.
Yet with infections threatening to run out of control, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared an initial state of emergency for Tokyo and six other regions on April 7 -- later expanding it to cover the entire country.
11:45pm/May24 — Quetta, Pakistan — 101 new cases recorded in Balochistan
The number of confirmed coronavirus patients in Balochistan has reached 3,407 after detection of 101 cases in the past 24 hours, according to the provincial health department.
The health authorities have put the death toll from the virus at 40 while 875 patients have recovered from it.
11:30pm/May24 — Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan — Death toll from coronavirus rises to seven
Adviser to Chief Minister Shams Mir on Sunday said the deadly virus has claimed three more lives in the Gilgit-Baltistan region taking the death toll to seven.
437 patients have recovered from the disease, Mir said.