Seven news coronavirus patients detected in Larkana

Seven Corona Virus positive patients have been detected out of 83 suspected cases who were brought at the Quarantine Centre established at the Areeja Campus of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, on Friday, and 76 have been found negative. With the addition of these cases which have also been confirmed by Larkana’s deputy commissioner, the number of COVID19 positive cases so far detected in Sindh has reached to 440. These figures were also shared by Meeran Yousuf, Media Coordinator to the Health Minister, Government of Sindh, with this Scribe Friday. Out of these 440 cases, as many as 164 are in Karachi, one in Dadu, three in Hyderabad, seven in Larkana and 265 in Sukkur. So far 4662 tests have been conducted of suspected pilgrims that went to Iran illegally and returned silently through Taftan border recently. She claimed that only death has so far reported in this viral disease and eleven new cases have also been found in Karachi which were also infected through local transmission along with one case of local transmission in Hyderabad. In this way, she added 19 new cases have been detected in Sindh till filing of this report 40 new such suspected cases were also brought at the Quarantine Centre at Areeja Campus on Friday morning and their tests are yet to be conducted. Meanwhile, orders of the provincial government are being partially implemented in the cities and towns but remote villages have been ignored where residents continue their old traditional sittings under a tree or at an Otaq during their free leisure time. Police and personnel of other security forces have been deployed on main roads and roundabouts in the cities but cops have so far ignored the rural areas where residents continue to violate lockdown instructions to keep them safe. The villagers are also avoiding “stay home stay safe” instructions perhaps due to lack of proper awareness about the Corona Virus which has caused thousands of deaths so far globally. In this connection, this Scribe visited several villages and talked to people in other areas on Friday during which it was revealed that citizens in these rural areas have not taken the directives of the government seriously. In Mahotta, Wahid Bux Shaikh said denizens here continue to hold joint sessions (kutchehries) at different Otaqs (sitting places) and entire shops are also open even in Kehar, Dodai and Chooharpur. He said when cops are taking round of the village then only shops are closed down and then opened again within half an hour. He said people have not yet seriously taken viral disease Corona Virus and they are enjoying lockdown as usual without observing advisories issued by the health department authorities to stay home stay safe along with their kids. Asked as to why people are so irresponsible about their well being, he said worst poverty, price hike and massive unemployment has forced them to earn livelihood because, he added, they don’t want to die of hunger. Hassan Ali Katpar of Dokri College and journalist Ghulam Mustafa Jhatyal said that villagers of nearby villages including Chatto Wahan, Areeja, Channa Pull, Gud, Muhaban, Mehrabpur, Vikro, Mendra, Guchar, Balhreji, Karani, Kot Qabulo, Sehar and other villages have ignored the SOPs issued by the government and they continue to sit together in Otaqs, visit gardens and lands jointly and play games. He said people are aware of the fact that lockdown has been imposed to prevent collective gatherings as a precautionary measure to stop spread of the virus but they simply are avoiding to implement the instructions perhaps due to illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. He said if the SHO of the relevant police station intend to enforce lockdown in these remote areas then all will remain home for their own safety. He further said that lockdown will also bring serious economic issues for the poor people which the residents will face in future as well. He said eggs are either unavailable or being sold at higher rates. One dozen eggs were sold at Rs: 100 prior to lockdown and now the same are available for Rs 130 which should be controlled, he added.