HYDERABAD: One more coronavirus patient died on the first day of Eidul Fitr in Kohsar Hospital Latifabad while another is in serious condition at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH). The total tally of Covid-19 deaths has risen to 28.

The 70-year-old patient was a resident of Talab Hyderabad No. 3. He was said to be in home isolation and shifted to Kohsar Hospital on May 15. According to hospital MS Dr Suresh, he was diabetic, hypertensive and also had pulmonary issue.

He said that the hospital’s physician okayed him for admission after examining him. He said the patient remained stable since the admission, but his condition deteriorated all of a sudden and he died in the hospital.

It was the first death reported in Kohsar Hospital. This hospital had initially started working as quarantine facility, but soon it was converted into isolation ward amid serious reservations of the residents of Kohsar. The hospital is located in a thickly-populated area and residents expressed concern that it could be detrimental for other residents. Currently, only six patients are admitted in the hospital. Initially, close to 100 patients — mostly from Tableeghi Jamaat — were kept there.

Meanwhile, a male patient was said to be in serious condition in the LUH as well. He was not yet put on ventilator in the high dependency unit (HDU).

In Sukkur, five more people tested positive for the coronavirus due to local transmission while the result of 27 persons came negative. The total figure of corona patients has now reached up to 10 in Khanpur Mahar of Ghotki district.

According to reports, when a doctor tested positive, the health department team took samples of the residents of Khemani Mohalla, Khanpur Mahar, where the doctor resides.

Five family members of the doctor, including his wife, two daughters, elder brother and brother’s wife tested positive.

In Umerkot, three more locally transmitted cases of corona surfaced, taking total number of cases in the district to 11.

Provincial Minister Syed Sardar Shah has expressed his grave concern and appealed to the people to follow the protocols.

Four days ago, an employee of a private bank at Kunri was tested positive for corona. He was quarantined at home. Samples of his 22 family members were collected, of which three more were tested positive. They have been isolating at home.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020