Islamabad, April 13 (IANS) Nearly half of Pakistan's coronavirus cases were locally transmitted, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza said, adding that some 17,332 people were present in quarantine centres across the country out of which 18 per cent tested positive.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, he said: "The last 24 hours were heavy, 14 people died. We warned you this would happen."

"Coronavirus is a preventable problem and its spread can be stopped if we take proper preventive measures," Dawn news quoted Mirza as saying.

He said that the fatality rate of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan had increased to 1.7 per cent after Saturday's deaths while the global fatality rate of the virus was 6.1 per cent.

He said that the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) was preparing an awareness video which would be released soon but urged people not to spread misinformation on the basis of "incomplete information".

Mirza's comments come as the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has increased to 5,362, with 93 deaths.

--IANS ksk/