KARACHI: As many as 19 more patients of coronavirus died overnight and 2,076 new cases emerged when 20,421 tests were conducted.

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

He added that the death of 19 more patients during the past 24 hours lifted the death toll to 4,854 constituting 1.6 per cent death rate.

Mr Shah said that 20,421 samples were tested which detected 2,076 cases that constituted 10.2 per cent current detection rate. He said that so far 3,883,951 tests had been conducted against which 303,306 cases were diagnosed, of them 91.7 per cent or 278,280 patients recovered, including 611 overnight.

The CM said that currently 20,172 patients were under treatment, of them 19,347 were in home isolation, 25 at isolation centres and 800 at different hospitals.

He added that the condition of 764 patients was stated to be critical, including 53 shifted to ventilators.

According to the chief minister, out of 2,076 new cases, 1,260 have been detected in Karachi, including 629 in East, 258 in South, 144 in Central, 109 in Malir, 95 in Korangi and 25 in West.

He said that Hyderabad had 252, Sukkur 111, Jamshoro 51, Larkana 44, Dadu 34, Badin 28, Thatta and Umerkot 26 each, Mirpurkhas 21, Matiari 17, Ghotki and Khairpur 16 each, Shikarpur 15, Tando Muhammad Khan 13, Qambar and Shaheed Benazirabad eight each, Kashmore five and Jacobabad two.

Micro smart lockdowns in six localities

The district Korangi administration on Wednesday imposed discrete micro-smart lockdowns in six localities for two weeks as the third wave of Covid-19 became imminent to spread.

Official sources said that the deputy commissioner of the Central issued the order that enforced the lockdowns in the streets of the houses with coronavirus infected people in Zaman Town, Nasir Colony, Al-Fallah, Natha Khan Goth Model Colony and Khokrapar. They said that the micro smart lockdown was imposed in several emerging hotspots in District Korangi to deal with the rising cases of Covid-19 on the recommendation of the district health officer.

The sources in the health department said it had become fundamental to ensure quarantine, contact tracing and testing to reduce the transmission and spread of Covid-19, besides mandatory mask wearing and social distancing interventions.

The deputy commissioner of District Korangi ordered imposition of smart lockdowns for at least two weeks.

As many as 10 houses along with their streets in different past of the district were placed under micro-smart lockdown.

The houses were located in Sector 35-A in Zaman Town, Sectors D and 32-E, Natha Khan Goth, Block B of Model Colony and Chaman Colony in Model Colony.

No get-togethers allowed in homes

The order said that no private or family get-togethers would be allowed in homes.

According to the order, anyone entering or exiting the lockdown areas shall wear a mask and the movement of people shall be strictly restricted.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2021