Sindh coronavirus tally nears 30,000 with 1,402 new cases

Death toll has crossed the 500 mark, reveals CM Murad Ali Shah

KARACHI: The month of June has begun with the detection of 1,402 new coronavirus cases and 22 deaths in the province, stated Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday, adding that this brought the number of virus cases reported in the province to 29,647 and the death toll to 503.

Sharing details about the pandemic situation in Sindh, Shah disclosed that 6,289 fresh samples had been tested and 1,402 new cases emerged as result - constituting 22.3 per cent of the samples. He added that so far the Sindh government has conducted 187,092 tests and detected 29,647 cases.

Shah also disclosed that 342 patients were currently in critical condition, of whom 71 were on ventilators.

At present, 14,554 patients were undergoing treatment, he added, stating that 13,346 were isolated at their homes, 113 at isolation centres and 1,095 at different hospitals in the province.

Further stating that 785 more patients had recovered, he said the total number of recovered patients in the province was now 14,590.

Of the 1,402 new patients, the CM said that the majority - a whopping 1,028 - were from Karachi. Giving an area-wise breakdown, he informed that 292 cases were from Korangi district, 232 from East district, 193 from South district, 165 from Central district, 101 from West district and 45 from Malir district.

Meanwhile, he said that 46 cases have emerged in Ghotki, 46 in Sukkur, 38 in Larkana, 25 in Hyderabad, 21 in Mirpurkhas, 20 in Shikarpur, 12 in Jacobabad, eight in Khairpur, eight in Jamshoro, four apiece in Badin and Sujawal, two each in Thatta, Dadu and Naushero Feroze, and one each in Umerkot, Shaheed Benazirabad and Kashmore-Kandhkot.



Warning the residents of Sukkur, Larkana and Ghotki that locally transmitted cases were on the rise in these districts, Shah implored them to follow the government's advisories.

Seeking support

Separately, in a meeting with World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Dr Palitha Mahipala, the CM said that the Sindh government had enhanced its daily testing capacity from 200 to 6,600.

He further told Dr Mahipala that the provincial government was setting up two hospitals with a capacity of 250 beds for Covid-19 patients in the port city, while similar health facilities would also be established in other divisional headquarters of Sindh.

Shah also urged the WHO representative to help establish a training programme for doctors, paramedics and nurses dealing with Covid-19 patients.

Assuring him of support in all aspects, Dr Mahipala urged the CM to take strict measures to force the people to adopt precautionary measures against the virus.