KARACHI: With federal and provincial authorities deliberating on how to control the alarming Covid-19 situation in the country, 17 patients lost their lives to coronavirus in Karachi that saw more than 3,000 new cases over the last 24 hours, the data released by Chief Minister House on Thursday showed.

According to the figures, Karachi reported 88pc of the new Covid-19 infections detected in the province with District East leading the surge with 36pc cases of the total caseload.

Given the highly worrisome situation, the provincial government following the National Command and Operation Centre’s latest communication notified a ban on indoor events from Jan 21, instead of Jan 24 as was earlier announced.

“The NCOC vide its letter No.801/A/2/NCOC-01, dated Jan 20, 2022 has communicated that amid a rising trend of disease across the country, a ban on indoor dining in cities/districts with positivity rate above 10pc has been imposed with effect from Jan 21, 2022. Karachi and Hyderabad are the two cities having a positivity rate above 10pc.

Over 300 patients in critical condition in Sindh

“Accordingly, in partial modification of this department’s order dated Jan 19, 2022, the ban on indoor dining in Karachi and Hyderabad is hereby imposed with effect from Jan 21, 2022, instead of Jan 24, 2022,” a home department order stated.

The move came after the country reported over 6,800 new infections within 24 hours, an increase of 19.6pc. Karachi’s contribution to the total caseload in the country stood at 48pc.

A day earlier, the provincial government had decided that gyms, cinemas, shrines and amusement parks would continue to operate with 50pc capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only. On-campus classes for children under 12 would be held in schools of Karachi and Hyderabad on alternate days with 50pc attendance.

306 patients in critical condition

According to the CM House statement, out of the total 3,739 new infections reported within 24 hours in the province, 3,289 cases were detected in Karachi, when 17,002 tests were conducted.

District East reported 1,345 cases, District South 773, District Central 655, District Korangi 261, District Malir 145 and District West 110.

Hyderabad had 145 cases, Naushahro Feroze 34, Jamshoro 29, Tharparkar 20, Tando Mohammad Khan 19, Badin 16, Dadu 15, Thatta, Umerkot and Sanghar 12 each, Larkana 11, Tando Allahyar, Jacobabad, Khairpur and Mirpurkhas 10 each, Shikarpur nine, Ghotki five, Shaheed Benazirbad four and Matiari has one coronavirus case.

“Seventeen more coronavirus patients died overnight, raising the death toll to 7,727. Currently, 33,796 patients are under treatment; 33,398 are in home isolation, 30 at isolation centres and 368 at different hospitals. The condition of 306 patients is stated to be critical, including 21 patients who have been shifted to ventilators,” it said.

So far, according to the figures, a total of 7,419,686 tests have been conducted against which 514,863 cases were diagnosed. Of them, 91.9 percent or 473,340 patients have recovered, including 332 overnight.

Over the last 24 hours, 237,284 people were inoculated.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2022