Daily Times

Agha Khan University (AKU) Hospital in Karachi on Saturday has stopped the tests of new coronavirus patients due to a shortage of kits.

The hospital administration informed through its social media accounts saying, “We are temporarily unable to take any new patients for Covid-19 screening and testing at CHC.”

The administration said after the arrival of the new kits the blood samples will be accepted for testing.

On Friday night, various videos were circulated on social media that showed people’s ire for not being allowed to enter the Aga Khan Hospital as the security guards refused entry of the public.

Earlier, Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) had acquired 200 kits used to detect Coronavirus from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad and initiated Coronavirus testing.

The number of confirmed cases in Pakistan now stands at 519. Sindh remains the most affected province in the country, with 267, confirmed cases of the virus. Punjab has 96, KP has 23, Balochistan 92, Islamabad 10, and GB has 30 confirmed cases.

Globally, 185 countries have been affected, more than 10,000 people have died and more than 253,000 infected by the disease as it spreads rapidly to new territories. The epicentre of the outbreak has now shifted to Europe, especially Italy, which is recording a rapid rise in new cases and deaths every day.

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah announced on Friday a complete lockdown of Sindh for three days. The decision came after contact cases increased in the province.

CM Shah, in this regard, said the rising number of Sindh’s local cases was “extremely concerning”.