KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that 40 more Covid-19 patients lost their lives and 1,353 new cases emerged overnight.

In a statement issued from the CM House, he said that the new cases emerged when 7,377 tests were conducted during the past 24 hours.

He said that the provincial government had so far conducted 215,860 tests against which 34,889 cases were diagnosed as positive.

Mr Shah said that 40 more patients died overnight and added that the number of deaths stemming from coronavirus in Sindh had reached 615, which constituted 1.7 per cent.

“Forty deaths within 24 hours is the highest figure since March 19 when first death was reported,” he said.

Sindh Governor Ismail donates his plasma for treatment of other critically ill patients

The CM said that at present 370 patients were in critical condition, including 62 on ventilators.

He said that 16,487 patients were currently under treatment and 15,156 of them were in home isolation, 76 at isolation centres and 1,255 at different hospitals.

He said that 1,005 patients had recovered and returned to normal life.

“The number of patients recovered so far has reached 17,787, which constituted 51pc of the total patients,” he added.

Mr Shah said that out of 1,353 new cases, 984 belonged to Karachi. District East has 282, Central 204, South 162, Malir 148, Korangi 108 and West had 80 cases.

He said that Hyderabad had 70 new cases, Ghotki 41, Sukkur 26, Khairpur 25, Jacobabad 17, Larkana 14, Mirpurkhas 12, Jamshoro and Sanghar 11 each, Tando Mohammad Khan and Kashmore six each, Naushahro Feroze three, Badin, Dadu, Qambar and Shikarpur have two each, Sujawal and Thatta one new case each.

The chief minister once again urged the people of Sindh to be cautious and adopt precautionary measures against coronavirus infection.

Sindh governor donates plasma

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Friday donated his plasma for treatment of coronavirus patients. An official statement issued here said that Dr Tahir Shamsi of the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) was also present on the occasion.

The governor, who contracted coronavirus and recovered after spending 17 days in isolation, had announced to donate his plasma for Covid-19 patients.

“Encouraging results have been obtained by transfusion of plasma of recovered patient to those who are still infected with Covid-19,” the governor said. “I appeal to all persons [who have] recovered from coronavirus to donate their plasma to save precious human lives. The passive immunisation technique and transfusion is now being used in developed countries for recovery of coronavirus patients.” He also congratulated Dr Shamsi for the successful passive immunisation technique and said it was a blessing for the coronavirus patients.

He said the coronavirus was a reality and the people should learn to live with it. “The only way to avoid the spread of Covid-19 is to ensure implementation of precautionary measures and SOPs.”

Dr Shamsi, the statement said, lauded the gesture by the Sindh governor for donation of plasma. This would motivate other recovered persons to come forward and donate their plasma as well, he hoped.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2020