With an alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Lahore, only 26 ICU (intensive care unit) beds are currently vacant in the state-run hospitals of the city, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As of Friday morning, there are 688 patients admitted in the isolation wards with another 204 in ICUs. Of those in the ICUs, 125 have been placed on ventilators due to their critical condition.

The shortage of ICU beds can be gauged by the fact that there is no more space in General Hospital, Services Hospital, Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital.

On the other hand, around 88 percent ICU beds are occupied in Mayo Hospital with only six currently being vacant.

The critical care beds currently available in the government-run health facilities are: Ganga Ram Hospital 10, Mayo Hospital six, PKLI (Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute) five and Nawaz Sharif Hospital Yaki Gate five.

This shocking revelation came as the coronavirus death toll in Pakistan climbed to 3,229 as the country reported 136 new deaths during the past 24 hours (Thursday).

The same period saw the number of cases reaching 165,062 with the addition of 4,944 patients from different parts of Pakistan.

The pandemic is proving to be deadliest in Punjab where another 63 people died of the virus after which the number of deaths in the province rose to 1,265. The number of cases, on the other hand, has increased to 61,678 during the same period.

During the past 24 hours, City42 reported, 23 coronavirus patients died in Lahore and another 1,226 people tested positive for the virus.

It means a total of 442 people have died of the virus in the city where a total of 31,045 cases have so far been reported.