Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has urged people to pray at home during Shab-e-Barat, adding that they should offer prayers for the deceased at home on the “night of worship and forgiveness”.
He also urged Ulema to explain the importance of Shab-e-Barat on television so people could listen from their homes.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, giving his regular video briefing to the people of the country in general and Sindh in particular, said that during last 24 hour [till afternoon] two more patients lost their lives while fighting against Coronavirus infection apart from detecting 50 more cases.
In the video message released from CM House, the chief minister shares data of COVID-19 up to the morning of April 8 says that the provincial government conducted 785 more tests, of them 50 samples were found to be positive. The number tests conducted so far comes to 10981 Total cases up to the morning of April 7, were 896 and after detection of 50 more cases the tally rises to 1036.
The chief minister said that two patients expired between April 7 to April 8 morning. The death toll in coronavirus has reached to 20. The number of coronavirus patients, according to the chief minister is 1036, of them 382 are in home isolation and 97 at Isolation centres and 257 patients are under treatment at different hospitals of the province. Out of 1036 cases, 637 are locally transmitted.
Mr Shah discussing seriousness of Coronavirus threat in Pakistan said that on February 26, there was one case, after 30 days, March 25 the tally reached to 1000 cases, just after seven days means on April 1, the number of cases rose to 2000 and then after six days or April 6, the number of cases reached to 3000 and on April 7 or just after one day we have 4000 cases in the country. Therefore, the strategy must be based on the ground reality.
The chief minister urged the people to observe social distancing as has been advised by the experts. He added that few more days were left to ease the lockdown, therefore the reaming days of the lock down must be observed strictly.
Chinese Medical team: A nine-member medical experts delegation of China led by Mr Ma Minghui called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and shared their experience to contain but what they said eliminated Coronavirus.
The urged the chief minister to ensure social distancing among the people, otherwise spread of infection could not be controlled. They said that they had observed strict lockdown, that’s was why everything brought under control
The chief minister said that he has also closed the government offices, schools and closed all business centres and even factories and public transport. “This is why we have contained it but still we have t to more measures to save our people,” he said.
Mr Shah said that due to shortage of testing kits and equipment’s his government could not conduct test of all people. “We are testing those who have travel history and family members of the positive cases,” he said.
The visiting delegation assured the chief minister that they would provide him expertise and other equipment’s to the provincial government. They also said that distribution of food (ration) should also be made in isolation. Crowds in any kind would destroy the efforts of containing the virus, they said.
PM’s meeting: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also participated in the prime minister’s meeting through video link. The chief minister suggested that the people coming from other countries through international flights should be kept in quarantine at any nearby hotel.
The quarantine was the responsibility of the government even then the provincial government would help the centre. The chief minister also suggested the federal government to issue SOP for post lockdown period. He said that new discipline of life would have to be made, otherwise things would go out of control.
Friday lockdown: Meanwhile, the Sindh government on Wednesday decided to further tighten the lockdown currently imposed till April 14 and was considering a proposal for a complete ban on movement this Friday.
The suggestion for a complete lockdown on Friday came as the traffic in the city has increased in the last few days with more and more people coming out of their homes, reported 24NewsHD.
Earlier last week, the provincial government had imposed a complete lockdown from 12pm to 3pm on Friday. Meanwhile, the Sindh government has also the administration to close all the main thoroughfares in Karachi and other big cities. On the other hand, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed his displeasure over the rush witnessed at shops as passed the orders for ensure strict measures, saying he wanted a lockdown like the one that was observed during the first seven days.
The chief minister reviewed the situation during a meeting at the CM House, which was attended by the top cabinet members.
Shah appealed the people to stay indoors with a warning that figures were very alarming, otherwise, it would be too late. He directed the officials that no one should be allowed to move freely without any solid reason. Meanwhile, the eight-member Chinese team, which is currently in Pakistan, too informed the chief minister that the lockdown was the only solution.
On the other hand, the Sindh government requested the private hospitals to help tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, the owners and top doctors had told the provincial government that the entire health system will collapse with the rise in coronavirus cases; therefore, the lockdown must be extended.
Last week, Shah, in an interview to a private TV channel, had said that the health system will experience a complete breakdown if the number of coronavirus patients exceeded the 5,000 mark in the province.
