Islamabad: Pakistan Planning Minister Asad Umar announced that the government has decided to extend the countrywide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus by 15 days. He said the restrictions will now remain in place until May 9.

At least 253 healthcare providers and medical workers have been infected with coronavirus in Pakistan so far, according to data issued by the National Emergency Operation Centre.

Based on the report which has data up until Wednesday, 124 doctors, 39 nurses and and 90 health workers have been infected by the virus in the country, Dawn news reported on Friday.

Ninety-two of these healthcare providers are in isolation, 125 are admitted in hospitals while 33 have recovered and have been discharged.

The first known COVID-19 fatality among the local medical community occurred in Gilgit Baltistan when a young doctor, Usama Riaz, succumbed to the disease last month.

Of the 253 cases, Punjab has reported 83 infections, Sindh 56, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 30, Balochistan 32, Islamabad 31, Pakistan occupied Kashmir four, and Gilgit Baltistan 17.

On Wednesday, Pakistan passed the grim milestone of 10,000 COVID-19 cases.

As of Friday, Pakistan recorded 11,429 cases, with 237 deaths.