Deceased Peshawar patient did not have coronavirus, tests confirm

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra has withdrawn his earlier tweet regarding the first death of a suspected coronavirus case in Peshawar, saying that the deceased had tested negative for COVID-19.

Please note that the gentleman tested negative. Again you will be continuously and clearly informed. https://t.co/JC1AaEVlaS

— Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) March 16, 2020

Earlier, it was reported that the patient had been admitted to Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar and his test results were awaited, causing panic over what could have been Pakistan’s first reported death due to the new coronavirus.

Regarding recent rumours, please note the following. One patient passed away in Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. He was a suspected case. He was dealt with as per protocols. His test results are awaited. We will keep everyone posted.@ajmalkwazir
#CoronaVirusUpdates

— Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) March 16, 2020

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If he had the virus when he died, he will be the first confirmed coronavirus death in Pakistan. However, the website https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ has already listed one death for Pakistan in it’s rankings of cases around the world.

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There are at least 94 more cases in Pakistan and are steadily rising.