-Recoveries surge over 4,105 on improving pace
-Sindh hospitals to use plasma for passive immunisation therapy
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus count reached 16,500 in Pakistan as 874 new cases reported within 24 hours in the country, according to the latest statistics released by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday.
According to the national dashboard, these include 6,220 cases in Punjab, 6,053 in Sindh, 2,313 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,049 in Balochistan, 339 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 313 in Islamabad Capital Territory and 66 in Azad Kashmir. 19 deaths were reported during last 24 hours, taking the tally to 346 while 4,052 patients recovered from the virus and 153 are still critical. The country has conducted overall 1,74,160 coronavirus tests including 8,249, in last 24 hours.
Sindh recorded 404 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, which is the highest number of infections in the province so far, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. In a video statement, he said that eight more people have died during the past 24 hours in the province, taking the number of people who have died from the disease to 100.
Moreover, 4426 patients of coronavirus have been under treatment including 3187 have been isolated at homes, the chief minister said. At isolation centres 762 patients have been admitted and 477 under treatment at hospitals, he added. It emerged that overall 49 personnel of Sindh police and Rangers have contracted coronavirus while performing their duties to implement lockdown orders.
“45 officers and members of police have contracted the virus while four Rangers personnel also tested positive for it,” said Murtaza Wahab while appealing masses to act respectfully while dealing with the law enforcement personnel. As many as 396 new coronavirus cases have emerged in Punjab, taking the provincial tally to 6,220, the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department said on Thursday.
It also reported six more deaths from the Covid-19, taking the number of people who died from the infection in the province so far to 106. 1,850 people have recovered from the coronavirus, while 27 patients are in critical condition. 79,914 tests have been conducted in the province thus far, the department said.
Earlier today, 358 new coronavirus cases were reported in Sindh, pushing the tally in the province to 6,053.
In a video statement, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that 12 more people died during in the province during the previous 24 hours, taking the number of people who have died from the disease so far to 112. The 12 recent deaths over the past 24 hours are the highest number of fatalities from the contagion in the province so far, he added.
CM Murad said that a total of 54,377 tests have been conducted so far, including 2578 done over the past 24 hours. He said that 53 more people recuperated in the province during the last 24 hours, raising the number of people who have recovered thus far to 1332.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that 358 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the province over the past 24 hours, pushing the provincial tally to 6,053.
In a video statement, he said that 12 more people have died during the past 24 hours in the province, taking the number of people who have died from the disease to 112. The 12 recent deaths over the past 24 hours are the highest number of fatalities from the contagion in the province so far, he added.
CM Murad said that a total of 54,377 tests have been conducted so far, including 2578 done over the past 24 hours. He said that 53 more people recuperated in the province during the last 24 hours, raising the number of people who have recovered thus far to 1332.
Moreover, 4721 patients of coronavirus have been under treatment including 3473 have been isolated at homes, the chief minister said. At isolation centres 741 patients have been admitted and 505 under treatment at hospitals, he added. Murad Ali Shah said that 45 fresh cases of coronavirus reported from Karachi’s District Central, 72 cases in District South, 62 in District East, 58 cases from District West, 32 cases in Korangi and 15 cases from District Malir.
Moreover, 3 cases reported in Sukkur, 34 in Shikarpur, 5 in Hyderabad, six cases in Dadu, Sanghar reports 4 cases and one case each at Jamshoro, Thatta and Matiari. 13 each in Larkana and Khairpur and 7 cases at Shikarpur, Syed Murad Ali Shah said.
The Sindh Health Department on Thursday permitted three hospitals in the province to use plasma of recovered patients of COVID-19 for passive immunisation therapy on an experimental basis, newsmen reported.
Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and National Institute of Blood Disease, Karachi have been allowed to experimentally use “Coronavirus Convalescent Plasma” for passive immunization to treat positive cases.
According to a notification issued by the health department, a team of experts will supervise the process at these hospitals. The team will include physician/infectious disease specialist, ICU specialist, consultant haematologist, and representative of Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA).
Earlier, one member of an eight-member committee formed to examine the use of plasma in treating coronavirus patients by Sindh government, Tahir Shamsi had said that Sindh’s research can be benefited from by other provinces in the country. Dr Shamsi said that coronavirus cases had seen a steep rise in the country and he was hopeful of getting samples from cured patients belonging to Lahore, Peshawar and Sukkur.
Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has allowed clinical trials of blood plasma therapy to treat coronavirus patients in the country Plasma, the fluid in blood teeming with antibodies post-illness, has already proven effective in small studies to treat infectious diseases including Ebola and SARS.
