Karachi: Former Pakistani first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz became the first professional player in the country to die after contracting the novel coronavirus, his family confirmed Tuesday.
The 50-year-old first fell ill earlier this month and was put on a ventilator at a hospital in Peshawar after his condition deteriorated. He died late Monday.
“Sarfraz was healthy and lively but some 10 days ago he developed symptoms of the coronavirus and did not survive,” said a family member who spoke to AFP.
Sarfraz, a middle-order batsman, played 15 first-class games in Peshawar and retired in 1994.
Pakistan has recorded more than 5,000 coronavirus cases to date and nearly 100 deaths. The coronavirus pandemic was confirmed to have reached Pakistan in February 2020. Punjab is currently the region with highest number of cases at over 2,800. Multiple regions across the country have imposed lockdowns until mid to late April to stem the outbreak.According to a report by the federal government, Pakistan could expect 50,000 cases of disease by 25 April.A Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation which took place in Lahore in early March 2020 became a coronavirus super-spreader across the country.Lack of testing and an underfunded health care sector, however, has raised fears the country is ill-equipped to handle a spike in cases.
He thus became, the first professional cricketer known to have died from coronavirus during the pandemic in Pakistan. (AFP)
