‘Covid second wave likely to intensify’

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho warned on Saturday of the likelihood of the second wave of the pandemic intensifying during winter, as over 1,600 new Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths emerged in Sindh.

In a video statement, the provincial heath minister said the current wave could be thrice, over even four times more potent than the previous one.

She further said her department had sped up testing for Covid-19, while thousands of coronavirus cases continued to be reported daily.

"At present, 16,000 to 18,000 tests are conducted every day in Sindh," she claimed.

Moreover, Pechuho said, there are 237 ventilators, 828 high-dependency-unit beds and 1,536 beds in centres in Karachi.

Citing data released by the health department, she said Karachi's East district had reported the highest number of Covid-19 deaths, adding up to 904, followed by 551 from Central district and 382 from South district.

Vaccination

Commenting on the availability of vaccine for the infection, Pechuho said she could not give an estimate of the time it would take for it to be made available to citizens since the federal government had not taken the provinces into confidence on the matter.

The Sindh government, too, has not contacted any international vaccine manufacturers independently, she said, adding the only source of information regarding the steps the Centre had been taking for the availability of the vaccine in the country was the media.

"Nevertheless, we hope that vaccination begins by spring next year," said Pechuho. "However, it will at least take two to three years before the vaccine is available to everyone in the world."

According to Pechuho, the first phase of vaccination would cover individuals in the age bracket of 60 years to 80 years, as well as doctors.

Pandemic update

Meanwhile, 1,624 more Covid-19 cases emerged in Sindh on the day, while 17 coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the province, according to a statement issued by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The province's coronavirus tally has now climbed to 194,354 and death toll to 3,149.

According to the CM, of the new cases, 1,289 were diagnosed in Karachi, 51 in Sanghar, 47 in Hyderabad, 27 in Dadu, 26 in Ghotki, 13 in Badin and as many in Jamshoro, 11 in Larkana, nine in Matiari, eight each in Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Shikarpur and Qambar-Shahdadkot, six in Umerkot and as many in Khairpur, four each in Naushero Feroze and Sukkur, three in Thatta and as many in Tando Allahyar and one each in Tando Muhammad Khan and Kashmore-Kandhkot.

Besides, the CM said, 1,026 patients had recuperated overnight, lifting the total number of Covid-19 recoveries in Sindh to 166,492.

This leaves 24,718 patients under treatment, he said, adding that 23,841 of them were in home isolation, 16 in isolation centres and 861 in hospitals. At least 769 of them are critically ill, with 90 on ventilators, the CM said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2020.