Community transmission of Coronavirus virus in Sindh

KARACHI: Community transmission of COVID-19 started in Karachi after a 20-year old man contracted the viral disease probably from his father who had returned from UK, health authorities in Sindh said on Saturday, adding that another person of 38 years of age, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia had also been tested positive for the Coronavirus in Karachi. Health experts consider the community transmission of the disease is a next, dangerous level as so far all the reported cases in the country had acquired infection from abroad. The new development has prompted the provincial government to ban all type of social gatherings and banned the government officers from travelling.

“A 20 year old patient was tested positive for Coronavirus who has no travel history. His father returned from UK recently. The parents were taken for testing. Similarly, a 38-year old man who recently returned from Saudi Arabia has also been tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of cases to 17 in Sindh, out of which two have recovered and sent home while 15 are under treatment”, Meeran Yousuf, a spokeswoman for the Sindh health department announced on Saturday.

Realizing the potential community transmission of Coronavirus in the province, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took a policy decision of ordering closure of all public gatherings in shrines, marriage lawns and cinemas in addition to teaching activities at religious seminaries, training institutions and public gatherings while the Urs of saints would also remain suspended for three weeks till April 5 in the province as of now. Shah directed Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to take lead in developing Taluka-wise data of the families so that in case of any emergency the people under lock down could be reached for food, medicines and other related supplies and the much needed medical assistance. The chief minister issued these directives while presiding over two different meeting, 17th Taskforce on Coronavirus and Disaster Management Authority here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho, Minister Information Nasir Shah, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary health Zahid Abbasi, Dr Faisal of Aga Khan, representative of WHO and others.

The Sindh chief minister said as Coronavirus has now become a pandemic, therefore his government is left with no option but to take drastic measures to control the situation and save the lives of the people. “It is high time to close the cinemas, marriage halls, lawns, shrines and Urs programs and observed that we can’t even allow marriage functions at clubs,” he said and added “Yes, people can hold marriages at a limited level at their homes but depending on the situation any such permission can be revoked.” Directing the chief secretary to issue notification for imposing such ban, the chief minister said “I am support the decision to contain the Coronavirus,” and added “as and when the situation is improved we would reverse our decision of banning social and religious gatherings.”

In another important development, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has imposed ban on traveling of government officers. He directed the chief secretary to inform the federal government that the officers of Sindh may be taken on video conference instead of inviting them to Islamabad.

During the meeting, the Commissioner Sukkur said as many as 293 pilgrims in seven buses reached Sukkur and all of them were taken to isolation centers where their medical check up and others tests were being be conducted. The Sindh chief minister said since there was no testing facility for Coronavirus at Sukkur, therefore he would send his helicopter to airlift the samples of 293 pilgrims who had arrived from Taftan. They would be tested at Aga Khan, Indus and Ojha hospitals in Karachi. The chief minister also directed Commissioner Sukkur to develop data of all the pilgrims so their addresses could be recorded for future strategy. Murad Shah told the commissioner that another batch of 648 pilgrims were ready to leave Taftan for Sukkur, therefore their accommodation arrangements should be made accordingly.

The chief minister also requested World Health Organisation to send their experts along with the experts of Aga Khan and Indus hospital to Sukkur to inspect the facilities. “I am sparing my jet and it would fly you back to Karachi in a day,” the chief minister told the WHO and other health experts. He said the World Bank has agreed to divert its $10 million fund its Sindh Resilience Project to Coroanvirus Support Programme being launched by Sindh government. He directed the chief secretary to utilize the amount for purchase of ventilators, oxygen cylinders, and other gadgets. It was also pointed out that $25 million were being made available by the World Bank to contain Coronavirus to Sindh.

During the meetings, the chief minister was told that 26 samples were sent for lab tests and their results were being awaited. Sindh health department has conducted 282 tests, out them 267 have been declared as negative while 17 have been diagnosed as positive. At present, 31 pilgrims have been put in quarantine at their home, of them 11 would complete their isolation period on March 18, two on March 16, five in March 17 and 12 on March 12. Secretary Health told the chief minister that 3,300 passengers landed at Jinnah Terminal till Friday. Of these only seven were deemed as suspects and they were quarantined.

Chairing another meeting of Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the chief minister also decided to establish quarantine center in every district headquarter in the hospital buildings recently constructed but yet to be operatinalised. He also directed labour minister to hand over the labour apartments recently constructed in Kotri, Nooriabad, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad for setting up Isolation Centers.