31 more die as coronavirus wreaks havoc in Sindh
by Staff Report–Provincial minister says decision regarding lockdown to be taken after May 31
KARACHI: As many as 31 coronavirus patients died during the last 24 hours in Sindh, which is the highest figure since March 19 when first death was reported, while 804 new cases have emerged, raising the virus cases tally to 26,113.
This was disclosed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a statement issued on Friday from CM House. CM Murad said that Sindh had the highest number of deaths on Friday, which had taken the death toll to 427. “I am saddened today to see the deaths of 31 patients,” he said and prayed for departed souls and offered condolence with the aggrieved families.
He said that 3,316 tests were conducted against which 804 new cases emerged. “The government has conducted 171,222 tests so far which detected 26,113 cases. We can control further spread of the virus if we all adopt precautionary measures but sorry to say the situation is disappointing – our people are not cooperating,” he said.
Sharing some good news, CM said that 1,563 patients had recovered from the disease. “This is again the highest number of patients cured within one day and now the number of patients recovered so far has reached 12,750, which constituted 49 per cent,” he said and added that “the recovery ratio in Sindh is encouraging and hopefully it will improve further”.
Sharing the details of 12,936 patients, the chief minister said that 11,902 were in home isolation, 126 at isolation centres and 908 in hospitals. He added that 305 patients were in critical condition and of them, 52 were on ventilators.
According to the chief minister, out of 804 new cases, 140 belonged to Korangi, 132 East, 117 South, 79 Central, 68 Malir and 61 West. Hyderabad has 37 new cases, Ghotki 24, Larkana 23, Jacobabad 10, Jamshoro 10, Shikarpur and Badin seven each, Dadu four, Umerkot three, Sanghar two, Kashmore, Khairpur, Matiari, Shaheed Benazirabad and Tando Allahyar one each, he added.
The chief minister concluding his statement once again urged people of Sindh to be careful, adopt SOPs and avoid crowding.
Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the decision to extend or not to extend the lockdown in the province will be taken after May 31 and business hours will be fixed with it.
In a statement, he said the Sindh government has always taken decisions in the larger public interest, and human lives will never be compromised.
The minister said the provincial government continued to co-operate with the federal government following the orders of the Supreme Court (SC).
According to Shah, in the wider interest of the people of the province, the Sindh government made some tough decisions, the aim of which was nothing but to save human lives.
He clarified that instead of relying on any kind of rumors and false news, government announcements should be followed and daily activities should be continued by ensuring social distance and precautionary measures.