Coronavirus makes way into the rural areas of Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in a recent video message released from the Chief Minister House, said that for the first time, his government has conducted over 4,112 tests against which 335 new cases emerged while seven patients succumbed to the COVID-19 infection.

He said that so far, 48,061 tests have been conducted against which 5,291 cases have been detected. The infection ratio has come down from 12 percent to 8.15 percent. "This is something encouraging, but we have to take care of ourselves and our families as well as other people,” he said.

Mr Shah said that the number of deaths stemming from coronavirus had reached 92, which constituted 1.73 percent of the total patients. “Yes, 38 more patients have recovered and returned to their respective homes,” he said, adding that the number of patients who have recovered so far has reached 963. The recovery rate has been recorded at 18.2 percent, he said.

According to Shah, 4,236 patients were under treatment, including 2,915 at home Isolation, 872 in the Isolation Centers, and 449 at different hospitals. He added that 48 patients were in critical condition, and 13 were on ventilator support.

Giving a district-wise break-up of the patients, the Chief Minister said that Karachi has 258 new cases. “At present, out of 5,291 cases, 1,609 belong to Karachi,” he said.

Mr Shah said that district South has 1,037 with 89 new, East 821 cases including 53 new, Central has 655 cases with 43 new, Malir has 312 cases with 21 new, West has 392 cases with 24 new, and Korangi has 392 cases with 28 new cases. "This is not a good situation, and every one us will have to be careful,” he said.

Talking about other districts, the Chief Minister said that new 17 cases had been diagnosed in Hyderabad, 10 in Jacobabad, seven in Sukkur, seven in Sikarpur, six in Shaheed Benazirabad, six in Tando Mohammad Khan, and five in Larkana.

He said that the coronavirus has started spreading in rural areas. "Despite our serious efforts, people are not adopting social distancing. As a result, they are not only acquiring the infection but also infecting others," he lamented.

He said that he was developing additional isolation centers. The capacity of the Expo Center is being enhanced from 1200 to 1500 beds, PAF Museum site to 600 beds, Gadap City Hospital to 150 beds, Dumba Goth Hospital to 100 beds, and field isolation centers to 100 beds.

Mr Shah said that that with the increase in new patients, expansion of isolation centers was necessary so that patients from congested areas could be shifted there.

-MN Report