People either not wearing masks at all or using them wrongly: Dr Azra Pechuho

Expressing concerns over growing number of COVID-19 cases in Sindh as well as mortalities due to the viral infection, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho on Wednesday said people are not only endangering their own lives due to their carelessness but also putting the lives of healthcare workers and staff in danger as they have been risking their lives while treating patients of Covid-19.

“Covid-19 cases are on the rise in Sindh and over 720 people have been found infected in the province in last 24 hours. This is because either people are not wearing masks at all or they are wearing them improperly. People need to take pandemic seriously and save their own and others’ lives by adopting all the SOPs,” Dr Azra said in an emergency video message on Wednesday evening.

As many as 14 people lost their lives in the province while 720 new cases in the last 24 hours, officials said, adding that most of the deaths were reported from hospitals in Karachi while a majority of the cases were also being reported from the megacity.

The health minister maintained that the objective of wearing masks was to cover one’s nose and mouth and added that if all the people wore masks at public places, the transmission of viral disease would reduce to a large extent.

She said people should also follow other SOPs, including adoption of physical distancing, washing hands frequently or using hand sanitisers, and refraining from attending large gatherings.

“I would urge people to be cautious and take care of themselves as well as their family members. They should follow the precautions and directives from the health authorities as the pandemic is raging and killing hundreds of people every day in the world,” she added.