On Saturday, Sindh reported zero COVID-19 deaths for the first time since March 19

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah announced on Saturday that for the first time since March 19, not a single individual passed away from COVID-19 in a day.

However, the chief minister was quick to add that 230 people had tested positive for the virus over the last 24 hours as well, indicating that the disease was not yet over.

“Not a single death was reported in the province due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours which is a very good sign. It is the first time since March 19 that we have not lost any life because of Coronavirus infection in the province. Unfortunately, we have 230 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total number of cases to 130,483 in the province,” Murad Ali Shah said in his daily COVID-19 situation report on Saturday.

Murad revealed that 9,738 samples were tested over 24 hours, taking the tally to 130,483, while Saturday proved to be the lucky day when no death was reported. In percentage terms, this constitutes a 2% current detection rate.

He said overall 1,046,051 samples were tested, tracing 130,483 cases across Sindh which constitutes a 12% infection rate. Similarly, he added that 2,152 more patients recovered taking the number to 126,164 that constituted a 97% recovery rate.

Giving a break up of those under different stages of treatment, Shah said that currently, 1,897 patients were being treated including 1,578 in-home isolation, six at isolation centres, and 313 in different hospitals. He added that the condition of 157 patients was critical, including 16 who are on ventilators.

Out of 230 new cases, 120 were from Karachi, he said. They included 38 South, 32 East, 27 Korangi, 12 Central, six Malir and five West. Mirpurkhas has 14 cases, Hyderabad eight, Badin seven, Qamabr and Shaheed Benazirabad five each, Dadu four, Larkana, Naushehroferoze, Shikarpur and Umerkot three each, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Sukkur and Thatta two each and Ghotki and Jacobabad once each.

The chief minister stressed on the importance of precautionary measures for people to stay safe.

Originally published in The News