Sindh minister claims drop in coronavirus cases after lockdown

Dr Azra Pechuho says ‘local transmission of virus’ in Karachi is a big challenge

KARACHI: The Sindh health minister, Dr Azra Pechuho, has said that the lockdown has led to a decrease in new cases of the novel coronavirus in Sindh, especially in Karachi.

“We have seen a decrease in the number of new infections over the past couple of days – thanks to Karachiites for their cooperation,” she said in a statement two days after the province went into lockdown in an effort to stem the spread of the mysterious contagion.

She called upon people to stay at home to make the lockdown a success so that the government could stamp out the virus. She said that “local transmission” of the virus in Karachi is a big challenge.

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Dr Pechuho said there are 410 COVID-19 cases in Sindh. Fourteen of them have recovered and returned to their families. Most of the recoveries – 10 to be precise – were in Karachi.

The minister attributed the high rate of recovery to timely diagnosis. She added that the provincial government bears the cost of treatment of all COVID-19 patients.

About the pilgrims staying at a quarantine facility in Sukkur, she said 265 tested positive for the novel coronavirus, while 3,149 tested negative.