Karachi: The novel coronavirus claimed the highest number of lives in a single day in Sindh where at least 48 people died due to viral infection in last 24 hours, of whom the majority breathed their last in Karachi, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday.

“Today is a sad and deplorable day for us when we have lost 48 lives due to COVID-19 in past 24 hours. Most of these deaths occurred in Karachi. With these deaths, the toll has reached 964 in Sindh,” he said in his daily situation report.

Shah further said that as many as 664 patients were under treatment in a serious condition at various health facilities in the province, and 97 of them were on life support. He added that currently, 28,705 COVID-19 patients were in self-isolation at their homes, while only 64 were at isolation centres.

“As many as 2,286 new cases have been detected also during last 24 hours when we tested 11,044 people, raising the number of people infected with COVID-19 in the province to 62,269,” he added.

The chief minister said that last 24 hours [between Wednesday and Thursday] proved to be the worst in terms of deaths stemming from the virus when 48 people lost their lives. “It has hurt me so much because the number of deaths is the highest in a day so far,” he said and added the death toll had reached to 964, which constituted 1.55 percent of the positive cases.

He said that the government had ramped up testing capacity from 80 per day to 11,000. “Overnight 11,044 tests were conducted against which 2,286 new cases were detected,” he said and added the number of new cases were on the rise all over Sindh.

Shah said that so far 340,487 tests had been conducted, which produced 62,269 cases that constituted 18 percent positive results. “This is one of the highest ratios and needs to be controlled strictly,” he said.

According to the CM, 1,341 more patients recovered and the number of patients who have recovered so far has reached 31,034, which constituted 50 percent. He said that at present 30,271 patients were under treatment, including 28,705 in home isolation, 64 at isolation centres and 1,502 in different hospitals. He added that 664 patients were in a critical condition, and 97 of them had been shifted onto ventilators.

Giving a district-wise breakdown, the chief minister said that out of 2,286 cases 1,395 belonged to Karachi. They include d 462 in District East, 335 in South, 197 in Central, 177 in West, 116 in Korangi and 108 in Malir.

Hyderabad reported 106 cases, Khairpur 72, Ghotki 64, Shaheed Benazirabad 59, Larkana 43, Kashmore 28, Jasmhoro 26, Dadu 22, Sanghar 20, Jacobabad 14, Thatta eight, Tando Allahyar seven, Kambar six, Shikarpur five, Sujawal and Umerkot two each, Badin, Matiari and Tharparkar one each.

On the occasion, the chief minister urged the people to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs), avoid going out unnecessarily, wear masks and wash their hands frequently with soap and water.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/674726-sindh-records-highest-covid-19-deaths-in-a-day-as-48-more-perish