COVID-19 claims 74 more lives infects 1539 others: CM Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday said that coronavirus had hit new highs by claiming 74 more lives lifting the death toll to 1343 while 1539 new cases emerged when 8464 samples were tested in the province.

In a statement issued here from the CM House, he said that overnight 74 more patients died lifting the death toll to 1343.

“This is the highest figure so far since the first death stemming from COVID-19 was reported on March 19,” he said and added that he was saddened to disclose the death rate had increased from 1.5 percent to 1.6 percent and expressed condolence with the bereaved families.

The chief minister said that 8464 samples were tested against which 1539 new cases of corona were detected that constituted 19.6 percent detection rate.

The government had conducted so far 443,757 tests which detected 81,985 cases, of them 45,616 patients had recovered, including 1093 overnight, he said, adding “The recovery rate come to 55.6 percent which is quite encouraging”.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said currently there were 35,026 patients under the treatment, of them 33,482 in home isolation, 88 at Isolation centers and 1456 at different hospitals.

He said that currently 660 patients were in critical condition, of them 92 had been shifted onto the ventilators.

Giving district-wise break-up of the cases, the chief minister said that out of 1539 new cases, Karachi had 689 cases, including East 252, South 175, Central 107, Malir 62, West 49 and Korangi 44.

He added that Hyderabad had 93 new cases, Ghotki 76, Sukkur 74, Mirpurkhas 34, Khairpur 34,Tando Allahyar 32, Sanghar 23, Shaheed Benazirabad 23, Jacobabad 28, Larkana 22, Kambar 19, Shikarpur 19, Dadu 13, Umerkot 12, Badin and Naushehroferoze nine each, Sujawal six, Tando M. Khan five, Thatta four, and Kashmore and Matiari have one each.

The chief minister urged the people to abide by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so that the pandemic could be contained.