FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE STORY WITH PUNJAB CM’S STATEMENT

A suspected patient of the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — on Tuesday passed away at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital where he was under treatment since developing symptoms following his return from Iran.

While some reports quote official sources as saying that the patient tested positive for the virus — marking the first fatality in Pakistan due to the global pandemic, others contradict the claim, saying the patient died of liver failure.

An official confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the suspected coronavirus patient’s death was tweeted by Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar later in the day.

A video available with The Current showed the deceased being brought out of the hospital in a coffin by staff in hazmat suits.

WATCH VIDEO:

The individual had returned from Iran via the Taftan border crossing and spent 14 days in quarantine, reports said.

While Ministry of National Health Services had earlier reportedly confirmed the death, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said the deceased patient, who was a native of Hafizabad, had been brought to the hospital on Monday night and the results of his tests were still awaited.

She added that the deceased was not the first and only confirmed patient of the virus in Lahore, who is still in isolation at the same hospital.

The minister said that the deceased patient’s blood samples were sent for testing while he had been kept in quarantined isolation at Mayo Hospital.

The deceased had cleared screening upon arriving in the country.

This was a developing story