Sher Afzal
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said 731 news cases of coronavirus were diagnosed out of 4,223 samples tested and 16 more patients died taking the tally of corona positive cases to 13,341 and death toll to 234.
“This shows that still we are facing an upsurge in infections and deaths which calls for observance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) by the masses in true letter and spirit,” he said in a statement issued by the CM House.
The chief minister said total 4,223 tests were conducted, out of which 731 (17.3 per cent) were detected as corona positive. “As we are going to increase the number of tests the more coronavirus cases are detected,” he said. “We have to contain it with our collective efforts,” he added.
The Sindh Health Department has so far conducted 103,340 tests and diagnosed 13,341 corona cases which are 12.9 percent of the total tests.
The chief minister said 16 more patients had died, raising the death toll to 234 or 1.7 percent. “With the blessings of Allah Almighty, our death ratio is comparatively low and we are making efforts to control it by enforcing SOPs,” he said.
The chief minister said 10,272 patients were under treatment all over Sindh. About 8,840 patients or 86 percent of the total were at home isolation where they were being looked after by doctors through phone, 919 were at isolation centers and 513 in different hospitals.
Murad Ali Shah said 606 patients had recovered and returned to their homes. “So far 2,835 patients have recovered and the recovery ratio stands at 21.3 percent which is encouraging but we have to improve it further, however, it will only be possible when the people will start getting them tested voluntarily,” he said.
The chief minister said out of 731 coronavirus cases, Karachi had 585, including 140 in the District East, 127 in District South, 116 in Malir, 85 in Central, 60 in West and 57 in Korangi.
He said the experts were pointing out that the month of May would see an upsurge in the coronavirus cases.
“We have eased the lockdown on the assurance of the traders and the people that the SOPs of social distancing, wearing of masks and avoiding crowds will be order of the day but the results are contrary,” he deplored. If such an attitude continued “we will not be able to get rid of the on-going pandemic.”
He said the death frequency showed that 4.6 percent patients, who could not survive, were between 51 to 60 years of age, 8.5 percent between 61 to 70 year age, 11.5 percent between 71 to 80 years and 22.5 percent 81 and above.
Sharing gender distribution of dead, Murad Ali Shah said 76 percent were male and 24 percent female.
Talking about other districts of the province, the chief minister said 24 corona positive cases were detected in Larkana, 22 in Hyderabad, 14 Ghotki, 10 Sukkur, eight Kandhkot-Kashmore, , seven Shikarpur, five Shaheed Benazirabad, and four each in Sujawal and Tando Mohammad Khan, two each in Jacobabad and Naushehroferoze, and on each in Umerkot, Khairpur, Kambar-Shahdadkot and Jamshoro.
