Sindh reports 19 deaths, 706 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has said that the provincial’s COVID-19 toll hit new highs as 19 patients lost their lives, which is the highest number since the first death was registered on 19 March.

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah in a statement said, “The 19 deaths within 24 hours are the highest number and now Sindh’s death toll stands at 299.” The chief minister said that 706 new COVID-19 patients were detected when 3,803 samples were tested.

He said that from 19 March to May 19, there have been five deaths per day on average. “Though the death ratio stands at 1.6% of the total patients yet it is quite painful,” he lamented.

The chief minister said the statistics showed that the recovery rate was much lower than the infection rate and this rate could be controlled if everyone would follow the precautionary steps.

Moreover, the CM said that at present 135 patients were in critical condition, of the 34 were on ventilators in different hospitals across the province. Shah further informed in the province 12,906 patients out of 11,373 or 88% were in home isolation, 819 at isolation centers, and 715 or 5.7% in different hospitals.

The provincial chief revealed that 252 more patients recovered from the infection, taking the recovered tally to 4,741 bumping the recovery ratio to 27%. He said that so far the government had tested 131,376 samples against which 17,947 COVID-19 positive cases were diagnosed.

He said the overall percentage of positive cases of the totals tests stands at 13.7% which is higher than several other countries, he added.

The chief minister said that out of 706 new cases 558 belonged to Karachi. They include 134 from South, 131 district East, 105 district Central, 72 district West, 58 district Malir and 58 in Korangi.

Meanwhile, 20 new cases were detected in Hyderabad, 16 Larkana, 12 Kambar-Shahdadkot, 10 Jamshoro, six each in Shikarpur and Sukkur, five Khairpur, four Jacobabad, three each in Mirpurkhas, and Sanghar, two each in Dadu, Ghotki, and Kashmore while one each in Badin, Naushahro Feroze and Tando Allahyar.

He said three flights from Washington, Muscat, and Jeddah brought 792 stranded Pakistanis to Karachi on May 14, 15, and 16 respectively. 60 of the passengers tested positive for COVID-19.

The chief minister urged the citizens to follow SOPS and avoid going out of their home without any solid reason.

CM stressed that the government can only control the pandemic through cooperation by the people. He also advised to maintain social distancing and not unnecessarily visit markets.