With 905 fresh covid-19 cases, Karachi continues to be Sindh’s worst-hit division

Sixteen more patients have lost their lives due to COVID-19 across Sindh in the past 24 hours, while another 1,103 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus during the period, with 905 being diagnosed in Karachi Division alone.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said in his daily message on Thursday that most of the deaths because of COVID-19 have occurred in Karachi, raising the novel coronavirus infection death toll of the province to 396.

“The emergence of 1,103 positive cases after testing 4,101 people is one of the highest figures we have seen, as it shows a 27 per cent ratio, so we all have to ponder over why local transmission is increasing day by day.”

Shah said the provincial government has conducted 167,906 tests, which have resulted in 25,309 people, or 15 per cent of those screened, being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus infection.

He said that Sindh’s updated COVID-19 death toll of 396 constitutes 1.6 per cent of the total patients. He added that 287 patients are in critical condition and 39 have been put on life support. “May Allah help them recover at the earliest.”

The chief executive said that 13,723 patients of the novel coronavirus are under treatment across the province: 12,146 in self-isolation at home, 916 at hospitals and 661 at isolation centres.

He said that 1,924 patients have recovered from COVID-19, which is the highest number of people being declared cured in a day, bringing the total number of such cases to 11,190.

He added that he is happy to see an encouraging recovery rate but also sad that 16 more people have lost their lives to the viral disease. He lamented that Karachi continues to report the highest number of local transmission cases. He said that of the 905 fresh cases, District Malir has 249, District South 201, District East 175, District Central 131, District Korangi 100 and District West 49.

The CM said Hyderabad has 32 new cases, Shikarpur 21, Larkana 20, Sukkur 19, Ghotki 18, Jacobabad 11, Jamshoro and Kambar-Shahdadkot seven each, Dadu and Mirpurkhas two each, and Sanghar, Nawabshah and Thatta one each.

He said that the number of cases are increasing because people have stopped complying with the standard operating procedures (SOPs). “The SOPs have been issued in the interest of our people, and if their cooperation continues to be dismal, we won’t be able to eradicate the virus.”