The tally of Sindh Assembly members who have tested positive for coronavirus ahead of a session of the provincial legislature has reached 23.

The assembly members who recently tested positive for novel coronavirus are Naseem Rajpar and Moazzim Abbasi of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Khawaja Izharul Hassan, Ghulam Jillani, Ali Khurshidi, Mangla Sharma, Sharjeel Memon, Saleem Kalmati, Shahana Ashaar, Shajeela Laghari, Noor Ahmed Bhurgri, Liaquat Askani, Khurram Sherzaman and Shabbir Qureshi.

It is pertinent to mention here that a member of the assembly could attend the house session only if he/she will be tested negative for the coronavirus.

Recently, a Sindh ministry had died from coronavirus. Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch passed away on June 2, days after contracting the coronavirus and being shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital in Karachi.

The news was confirmed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who grieved the loss of his colleague. In a statement, he said: "Baloch died due to the coronavirus. He was a brave and diligent member of the PPP. It will be a difficult task to replace him."