Coronavirus death toll rises to 2,935 as 11 more perish in Sindh, 1,336 test positive

Eleven more patients have died from the novel coronavirus and another 1,336 people have tested positive in Sindh.

As many as 13,169 samples were tested for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, said the Sindh chief minister on Monday. With the new 11 deaths, the total number of deaths from the infectious disease had reached 2,935 in Sindh, said Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Of the 1,984,764 tests conducted in total, 174,350 samples have so far been declared positive for Covid-19; however, 88 per cent or 152,559 patients had defeated the virus, including 1,070 patients who tested negative yesterday.

Currently, 18,816 patients are under treatment: 18,022 in home isolation, 12 at isolation centres and 782 at hospitals. The condition of 700 patients is stated to be critical, including 62 patients who are on ventilators.

Of the new 1,336 cases, 1,072 are from Karachi: 397 from District East, 311 from District South, 131 from District Korangi, 100 from District Malir, 81 from District Central and 52 from District West.

Hyderabad has reported 55 cases, Shaheed Benazirabad 25, Dadu and Ghotki 20 each, Matiari

and Sanghar 17 each, Larkana 15, Naushehroferoze 14, Jamshoro, Kambar and Umerkot 10 each, Badin seven, Tando Allahyar four, Jacobabad three, Sukkur two, and Mirpurkhas, Sujawal and Tando Mohammad Khan one each.

Wedding hall owners

Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani has stressed the need to implement the standard operating procedures for wedding ceremonies and asked the wedding hall owners to make sure that only food boxes are distributed among the guests.

On the directives of Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shan, the commissioner chaired a meeting with officer-bearers of the Marriage Hall Association and wedding hall owners at his office on Monday.

Additional Commissioner-I Karachi Asad Ali Khan, Assistant Commissioner Ejaz Hussain Rind were also present during the meeting.

According to a press statement issued by the Commissioner Office, Shallwani directed the wedding hall owners to fully implement the guidelines issued by the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) to prevent the spread of Covid-19. He clarified that no permission had been given for buffets in the halls.

The association’s president, Raana Rais Ahmed, assured the meeting that the SOPs issued for the marriage halls would be fully implemented.

The commissioner directed the deputy commissioners to get the SOPS fully implemented and take action against violators of the SOPs.

Moreover, the deputy commissioner of Korangi sealed four jewelry shops, a garment shop, a stationery shop and four restaurants in the district on Sunday over violations of the SOPs and social distancing.

In North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulberg and Liaquatabad, a restaurant each was sealed. Two restaurants and10 shops in New Karachi were issued with warnings by the district administration.