Sindh aligns virus curbs with Centre as lockdown ends

Ag APP

KARACHI: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday announced that the partial lockdown put in place by Sindh would be lifted tomorrow (Monday) as Pakistan recorded 95 coronavirus-linked deaths — its highest single-day fatalities since the fourth wave began and the largest increase in victims in nearly more than two months.

The decision was arrived after a joint session of the NCOC, held in Karachi with members of the Sindh government. Among those in the meeting were NCOC chief Asad Umar, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, NCOC’s Gen Hamood Uz Zaman.

According to a statement issued by the NCOC, it was decided that the lockdown announced by the Sindh government will be lifted from August 9 (tomorrow) and stringent NPIs (non-pharmaceutical interventions) issued by the NCOC for 13 top cities with high disease prevalence including Karachi and Hyderabad will be enforced.

The disease situation in Sindh, particularly in Karachi was discussed at length. “Need of better coordination and enhanced interaction at all levels was emphasised,” the NCOC said.

When Sindh province instituted its partial lockdown amid a surge in Delta variant infections, the federal government and allied parties strongly criticised the move, with government ministers publicly rebuking the province for the potential for harm to the common man’s circumstances. The NCOC at the time said its approach of targeted lockdowns was lauded all over the world and called upon Sindh to coordinate with it when making such decisions. Sindh rolled back some of its tougher curbs subsequently.

Geo News reported that the Sindh chief minister informed the NCOC representatives that Karachi’s Covid positivity had reduced by 3 per cent, but still was 21 per cent.

A special emphasis was laid on implementation of SOPs and NPIs “especially in wake of upcoming Moharram and lifting of lockdown from 9th August onwards”. Smart lockdowns in high disease prevalence areas will also be enforced to curtail disease spread.

The development comes as Pakistan recorded its highest single day death toll since May 20, on which 102 people perished. Among the provinces, the toll was the highest in Sindh province — which has been the hardest hit by the surge in Delta variant infections — which accounted for 42 of the 95 victims. Punjab followed with 31 fatalities.

Across the country, 4,720 people tested positive for the coronavirus, out of 57,233 overall tests, resulting in an 8.24 per cent positivity ratio. Active Covid cases in Pakistan were recorded to be 79,837. At least 4,725 patients were admitted across the country, 424 of whom were on ventilators.

Ventilators occupancy was highest in Islamabad at 43 per cent of its total vents in use, followed by Bahawalpur 40 per cent, Multan 34 per cent and Peshawar 32 per cent.

Sindh province, which was in the midst of a partial lockdown due to end tomorrow (Monday), had the highest use of oxygen beds — with more than two-thirds of the beds occupied in its urban areas. Hyderabad’s oxygen beds were an alarming 71 per cent in use, followed by Karachi’s 63 per cent.

After Karachi and Hyderabad, Abbottabad and Islamabad had 54 per cent and 38 per cent of their oxygen beds occupied, respectively. A total of 1,063,125 cases have been detected so far, with 23,797 deaths. Another senior doctor died of Covid-19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. According to the Provincial Doctors Association, a total of 107 health workers have so far died in the province.

The deceased doctor was identified as pathology expert Dr Ihsanul Haq, who was serving in the Ayub Medical Complex. He contracted coronavirus a few days ago.

So far, Pakistan has fully vaccinated 7,445,184 people, with 36,331,025 having received at least one dose. In a related development, two million doses of Sinopharm vaccines were flown in on three special PIA flights. Another batch of 1.5 million purchased by Pakistan from Chinese company CanSino Biologics will be brought to Pakistan in the next few days, a PIA official told state media.