The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 43,168 on Monday, with 15,346 cases in Punjab, 17,241 in Sindh, 6,230 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,692 in Balochistan, 550 in Gilgit Baltistan, 997 in Islamabad and 112 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has claimed at least 923 lives while some 11,922 coronavirus patients have recovered so far.
Claiming that Sindh is far ahead of other provinces in terms of testing capacity for the novel coronavirus, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah Monday said the province is now able to conduct 6,550 tests a day. In a statement, Shah said that there are 19 laboratories in the province testing samples for Covid-19, adding that they are operating at 77 per cent of their capacity.
Sharing updates about the coronavirus outbreak in Sindh, he apprised that 864 people were diagnosed with the virus on Monday, out of the 4,679 samples tested on the day. The tally has soared to 17,241 in the province, while a total of 127,573 people have been tested for Covid-19 so far. Meanwhile, three more coronavirus patients lost their lives, pushing the death toll to 280 in Sindh.
The CM said 12,472 patients are under treatment at the moment; of which 11,095 people are isolated at their homes, 815 at quarantine centres and 562 in hospitals. “So far, 4,489 [coronavirus] patients have regained health, which makes the recovery rate around 26 per cent,” he said. “The recovery ratio in the province has been stagnant and we are trying to improve it further,” he added.
The chief minister said out of 864 new cases, 657 belong to Karachi alone, adding that 171 cases were detected in East, 141 in Malir, 117 in South, 94 in Central, 75 in Korangi, and 59 cases in West district. Furthermore, 31 more people contracted Covid-19 in Ghotki, 30 in Hyderabad, 21 in Larkana, 17 in Sukkur, seven in Qambar Shahdadkot, five in Kashmore, two each in Matiari and Naushero Feroze, and one each in Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur and Jamshoro.
Sindh is also the first province in Pakistan to successfully conduct passive immunization through plasma therapy on 11 Covid-19 patients. Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, in a video message, said nine patients have already tested negative for coronavirus in the province.
The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department of Punjab Monday confirmed eight more deaths due to coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the provincial death toll to 260. The health officials also confirmed 762 new cases of coronavirus to bring the tally to 15,346.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Health Department, in its daily situational report, confirmed 10 more cases of coronavirus to raise the region’s tally to 550. At least 368 patients have recovered with four deaths in the region so far.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, in its daily situational report, Monday confirmed 16 more deaths due to coronavirus in the past 24 hours to bring the provincial death toll to 334. At least 12 deaths were reported from Peshawar and one each in Swabi, Swat, Buner and D I Khan. Some 169 new cases – 41 from quarantine centers – were also reported, raising the tally to 6,230 in the province. At least 161 patients recovered, taking the total to 1,944 in KP, while active cases stood at 3,952.
Senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Ghulam Ahmed Bilour also tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. The senior leader has quarantined himself at his family home, Bilour House.
