LAHORE: A protocol officer of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar died of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Hamid Raza had been under treatment at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) since he contracted the deadly disease, sources at the medical facility said.

They said his kidneys stopped functioning due to the infection.

Expressing sadness over the demise of his protocol officer, the chief minister extended condolences to the bereaved family. “Hamid Raza was a hard-working, dutiful and professional officer. He discharged his duties sincerely,” CM Buzdar said.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), COVID-19 claimed 98 more lives across the country over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 14,530.

As many as 4,974 new cases of Covid-19 surfaced when 50,055 tests were conducted.