11 ‘mass vaccination centres’ to administer jabs round-the-clock

Amid reports of overcrowding at coronavirus vaccination centres in the metropolis, the Sindh government declared on Sunday 11 vaccination centres as "mass vaccination facilities," which will operate round-the-clock throughout the week.

The decision was taken to prevent the rush of citizens at the two mega vaccination centres in the metropolis - Khaliqdina Hall and the Expo Centre.

According to the health department's notification, the mass vaccination centres, which will be open 24-hours a day will be at the Dow Ojha Hospital in East district; Khaliqdina Hall, JPMC and Lyari General Hospital in South district; Children Hospital, SG Hospital New Karachi, SG Hospital Liaquatabad in Central district; Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in West district; SG Hospital Murad Memon Goth in Malir district; and SG Hospital Saudabad in Korangi district, respectively.

Baton charge

Meanwhile, reports surfaced on Sunday of the police using baton charge at 'rowdy' citizens at the Lyari General Hospital. Like other centres, the vaccination centre was reportedly overrun by a horde of citizens wanting to receive coronavirus jabs.

As people waited in long queues some grew impatient and the police closed the main gate of the centre to keep such persons out. This reportedly enraged the people further and they attempted to forcibly barge in at which point the police resorted to baton charge.

The vaccination process was then temporarily suspended at the centre. Inoculations at vegetable market Separately, coronavirus vaccinations continued at the Karachi vegetable market on Sunday.

According to the market authorities, traders coming to the vegetable market are being vaccinated on the directives of the National Command and Operating Centre and the Sindh government. Around a 1,000 people are being inoculated daily in two shifts.

Virus tally

Meanwhile, Sindh reported over 2,500 coronavirus infections and 20 fatalities on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's House, 2,594 new cases emerged when 18,618 samples were tested.

Read More: Umar hints at increased Covid restrictions in 'some major cities'

The provincial pandemic tally and death toll rose to 385,397 and 6,021, respectively. Another 368 persons also recovered from the infection, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, lifting the number of recoveries to 332,777.

As many as 46,599 persons were under treatment for the coronavirus in Sindh as of Sunday. Of them, 45,120 were in home isolation, 39 at isolation centres and 1,440 at different hospitals.

The condition of 1,266 patients was stated to be critical, with at least 100 shifted to ventilators. According to the statement, out of 2,549 new cases, 1755 were detected in Karachi.

Elaborating further, Shah said 690 were reported in the East district, 331 in Central, 267 in Korangi, 208 in South, 202 in Malir and 57 in West. Meanwhile, Hyderabad had 173, Tharparkar 90, Badin 81, Sanghar 68, Sujawal 58, Thatta 56, Matiari 40, Shaheed Benazirabad 38, Umerkot 33, Naushero Feroze 27, Jamshoro 24, Dadu and Tando Allahyar 18 each, Khairpur 12, Kashmore seven, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur two each, Ghotki and Jacobabad one each.