Sindh province is facing a serious situation as 18 more coronavirus cases including 13 from Sukkur quarantine centre were recorded on Sunday alone, pushing the total number of infected people to 35 across the province. It was disclosed during the 18th meeting of Taskforce on Coronavirus held at the Sindh Chief Minister House.
In a briefing to the Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, it was revealed that 40 samples of pilgrims arrived at Sukkur quarantine Centre, were tested in Karachi. Of them, 13 samples were diagnosed as positive.
The CM was told that apart from Sukkur, five more cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed, of them three had contracted the virus from a patient who came from Saudi Arabia. Another had pneumonia symptoms and diagnosed as coronavirus positive while the fifth one had come from Quetta with coronavirus symptoms.
CM said that out of 293 suspects who came from Taftan to Sukkur Isolation Centre, we have tested 40 samples, of them 13 have been diagnosed as positive and yet 250 were yet to be tested. He added that another batch of 661 pilgrims is expected to arrive on Tuesday. "This is a serious situation and we all have to deal it accordingly," he said.
Eight patients have travel history of Syria, three have of Dubai, three of Iran and two of them have been cured, four have local transmission, two have travel history of Saudi Arabia and one patient came from Balochistan.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Pechuho, Syed Nasir Shah, Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, PS CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Home Secretary Usman Chachar, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Health Zahid Abbasi, DG PDMA, representatives of airport services, civil aviation, FIA, 5 Corps and rangers.
The CM was told that from Sukkur 203 samples have landed in Karachi and the remaining 93 were on the way. The Sindh government has run 339 tests, excluding of Sukkur of them 318 declared as negative while 21 have been diagnosed as positive.
At present, 20 suspects are in quarantine at their homes and all of them would be released by March 19, if found negative. Presenting a daily report, secretary health said that 1874 cases of pneumonia have been reported by public sector hospitals while the private hospitals have shared the list of 702 patients. The government conducted the coronavirus test of those patients who had severe symptoms.
On Saturday, 4631 passengers landed at Jinnah Terminal, of them five were suspect, including one of Italy, one of Birmingham, one of Dubai and two of Jeddah. Earlier, the chief minister along with his advisor on law visited a laboratory where coronavirus tests were conducted. He witnessed the testing process and provided them extra kits.
He ordered provision of necessary machinery to enhance the capacity of the lab already working on testing of coronavirus samples. Prof Dr Bari of Indus hospital briefed the chief minister about the process of testing the samples.
CM went to JPMC where he visited a newly established isolation wards where some patients were under treatment. Executive director of JPMC briefed the CM about the arrangements she had made in the isolation ward. She complained of shortage of ventilators. CM directed the chief secretary on phone to provide ventilators to JPMC and make their isolation centre functional at its full capacity.
The CM giving a message to public said, "if you develop cough, fever, body ache or shortness of breath, immediately make a call to Corona Virus Control Room at 021-99204452, 021-99206565 or 0316-0111712.