Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said Monday that the number of coronavirus cases in Sindh had reached 103, including 76 of Sukkur/Taftan and 27 from Karachi.

“I am not worried about the 76 cases of Sukkur because the pilgrims are living in a proper isolation, but the dangerous thing is cropping up in Karachi where more than eight cases of contacts have emerged,” he disclosed while addressing a press conference and interacting with parliamentarians of different political parties here at CM House.

The chief minister urged the people of the province to avoid social gatherings and meetings with people. “You have to adopt volunteer isolation; this is the only solution to contain coronavirus,” he said.

Reacting to a report presented by the Commissioner Karachi, Shah said that people were still thronging at restaurants and hotels. “It is not acceptable and I request the people to adopt self-isolation; otherwise, I would have no option but to close restaurants, hotels, tea spots and such other facilities,” he said.

Shah told the police and the administration to work out a plan to control crowds; otherwise, give notice to restaurants and hotels to close their facility by 9 pm. “I’ll take final decision very soon,” he said. The chief minister said that 157 samples of Sukkur/Taftan were tested, of them 76 had been diagnosed as positive. The health department conducted 392 tests so far, of which 27 had been declared as positive.

Giving details of the cases, the chief minister said that nine cases had travel history of Syria, three of Dubai, four of Iran, eight of local transmission, one Qatar and two of Saudi Arabia. He said that Saudi Arabia cases had 17 contacts, of theme three were tested as positive. Apart from local cases, there were 13 severe pneumonia cases which had been sent for lab test.

The chief minister said that the eight contact cases were dangerous and “we all have to understand the severity of the situation,” he said and added coronavirus is not fatal, but it spreads through contacts and we all would have to adopt what he said was `volunteer isolation’.

The chief minister said that some 37 flights were scheduled yesterday, of them eight were cancelled and 5112 passengers arrived and were screened, of them nine had been kept in quarantine as suspects. There samples have been taken and sent for the test.

Shah urged the people of Karachi, Hyderabad, particularly the thickly populated cities, and towns of the province to keep themselves away from each other, keep washing hands a number of times. “This is purely an issue of precautions but I am sorry to say people are still holding gatherings, crowding in the shopping centres and holding social gathering,” he said and added this is what I want you [people of Sindh] to avoid’.

Replying to a question about lockdown, the chief minister said in all the conditions, grocery shops, super stores, vegetable shops, chicken and mutton shops would not be closed. “I am surprised that under the rumours of lockdown, people have started stocking groceries,” he said and told the people that they had no need of stocking groceries. “Neither we would allow hoarding nor would close shops,” he said clearly.

To a question, Shah said that he was testing facilities at Aga Khan, Ojha and Indus hospitals. “We are testing only those who have travel history and contacts of the travellers free of cost,” he said and added those who wanted to get them tested could test with their own expenses.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah through a video link attended an important meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan from CM House and briefed him on the measures his government has taken so far to control the coronavirus. The chief minister also shared the number of coronavirus positive cases report to the prime minister.

Meanwhile, the chief minister also held a meeting with the parliamentarian of different political parties of Sindh Assembly and took them into confidence about the steps he has taken so far to contain the coronavirus.

Those who attended the meeting were four legislators from MQM-Pakistan led by Khwaja Izharul Hassan, three of PTI led by Dr Saeed Afridi, two of GDA led by Nand Kumar, one from TLP led by Mufti M Qasim Fakhri, and one from MMA led by Abdul Rasheed.

The chief minister briefed the MPs on the coronavirus cases, isolation wards established all over Sindh, number of patients diagnosed so far and people kept in quarantine. They gave different suggestions to the chief minister which he appreciated.

While presiding over the 19th taskforce meeting on coronavirus, the chief minister directed the Commissioner Sukkur to make effective arrangements for the 76 patients of coronavirus.

The commissioner said that he had developed a separate block for the newly diagnosed patients and they all were cooperating with the medical team.

The chief minister was told that some of the doctors were reluctant to go into the Isolation Centre, but when a team of doctors, the chief minister dispatched to Sukkur, met them and briefed them about the precautions they voluntarily started working.

The chief minister also sent the Ulema from Karachi to meet with the pilgrims living at Isolation Centre. The Ulema briefed them and consoled them that they were not alone, but the government, the administration and the religious leaders were all with them. The pilgrims have started cooperating with the administration.

The chief minister also directed the commissioner to make arrangements for the other batch of over 600 pilgrims coming from Taftan. The commissioner Karachi told the chief minister that during the last nine days his Control Centre had received 477 calls on his helpline numbers. His helpline has also received another 110 messages on Whatsapp. Those who had travel history were guided properly for medical treatment.