Over 20 hospital staff test positive for coronavirus in Sehwan

SINDH: At least 21 employees, including four doctors, paramedics, a security guard and a cook, at the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences in Sehwan have tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday.

According to the hospital administration, following the diagnosis, the employees have been quarantined.

Sources said that the facility’s out-patient department, which housed 500 beds, was also closed on Saturday due to the huge influx of patients, including those coming from Dadu, Mehar and Nawabshah.

The gravity of the issue had left many doctors and paramedics in the hospital disturbed, sources added.

The hospital is located at a distance of approximately 15 kilometers from Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah’s native village.

 Murad Ali Shah on Saturday said that the COVID-19 claimed record 38 lives in the province during the last 24 hours, surging the province’s mortality rate from 1.6% to 1.7%.

Murad Ali Shah announced that the provincial health authorities have registered 38 deaths and 1,247 new infections bumping the provincial death toll to 465 and overall cases to 13,623.

Giving a district-wise breakdown CM said a total of 215 COVID-19 patients were registered in Korangi, 213 in East district, 183 in Central, 180 in South, 63 in Malir, and 69 in West.

He said 29 cases were reported in Ghotki, 24 in Hyderabad, 23 in Larkana, 22 in Jacobabad, 21 in Sukkur, 20 in Shikarpur, 14 in Jamshoro, 08 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 07 in Khairpur, 05 in Mirpurkhas, 04 each in Dadu and Kashmore, and 03 each in Badin and Thatta.