KARACHI: Administrator and Commissioner of Karachi Iftikhar Ali Shallwani on Tuesday said that Covid-19 Infectious Disease and Research Centre was now functional at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH).

“A 120-bedded centre has been equipped with isolation ward, high dependency units (HDUs), having experienced doctors, professors and experts,” he said while addressing a ceremony held at the centre.

The administrator said that there were 25 ventilators in the hospital.

He asked the doctors and paramedical staff to also take precautionary measures and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) while treating coronavirus patients.

Free tests

Mr Shallwani said that ASH was the third largest hospital of the city and catered to a large part of Karachi’s residents, especially those living in underprivileged areas. “The hospital is conducting Covid-19 testing free of cost,” he added.

“Doctors and other health workers are our heroes who are treating the patients by [putting] their own lives at stake,” he added.

13 more Covid-19 deaths reported

Speaking on lockdown in the wake of alarming surge in number of Covid-19 patients, the administrator said that restrictions might be imposed in more areas while shopping centre might be closed once again to control the spread of coronavirus.

He was of the view that we could avoid the spread of novel coronavirus only through SOPs and preventive measures.

Mr Shallwani also visited different parts of the centre and reviewed the facilities being provided to people.

He directed that machinery and other equipment should be fully functional and maintained around the clock.

The administrator said: “We have to be fully prepared to cope with the second wave of Covid-19.”

He also asked the hospital’s staff to perform their duties with courage and take this work as a service to humanity.

“Each ward of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital will be updated and it will be made one of the best hospitals,” he vowed.

13 more Covid-19 patients die

As many as 13 more patients of Covid-19 lost their lives overnight and 1,382 new cases emerged when 11,738 tests were conducted.

This was stated by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The CM said that currently 16,218 patients were under treatment, of them 15,535 in home isolation, 12 at isolation centres and 671 at different hospitals. The condition of 619 patients is stated to be critical, including 74 shifted to ventilators, he added.

According to Murad Ali Shah, out of 1,382 new cases, 1,091 have been detected in Karachi, of them 503 in East, 257 in South, 134 in Central, 86 in Malir, 82 in Korangi and 29 in West.

He said that Hyderabad had 70 new cases, Sujawal 49, Dadu 21, Thatta 18, Naushahro Feroze and Ghotki 12 each, Umerkot and Jamshoro 11 each, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas 10 each, Shaheed Benazirabad six, Larkana three, Matiari and Tharparkar two each, Badin, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Sanghar, Sukkur and Tando Mohammad Khan one each.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2020