Official statistics reveal Pakistan has nearly 450 confirmed coronavirus cases

In this file photo, people wear facemasks amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus chat before the departure of a train at Karachi Cantonment railway station in Karachi on March 16, 2020. (AFP)

• The government is relying on Internet to supply authentic information on the global pandemic that has engulfed the country
• The official portal about the outbreak has been launched at a time when there is plenty of misinformation about the virus

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has 447 confirmed cases of coronavirus, reveal the official data on a newly launched government website, while five people have recovered from the infection that has claimed three lives in the country.
The government on Thursday launched a website to provide authentic information to people regarding the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the country.
The portal – www.covid.gov.pk – gives area-wise statistics of infections and also specify the number of new cases and virus-related deaths within a span of the last 24 hours.
It may be recalled that Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the nation in a televised speech on Tuesday that coronavirus was going to spread further, adding that even developed countries with greater financial resources and better medical facilities where struggling to deal with the pandemic.
Khan also emphasized the importance of social distancing and good hygiene practices to prevent the possibility of contracting the virus. While such precautionary measures have also been highlighted by experts and public figures, there are still plenty of rumors and misinformation about the outbreak in the country.
By setting up the website with recent and reliable information, the government is trying to address that problem, hoping that this information will also trickle down to those with little or no access to the Internet.