Coronavirus Update: Sindh reports 104 deaths in April

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh recorded an all days’ highest 12 coronavirus related deaths in Karachi on the last day of April, with 358 (13.83%) new infections among 2,587 tested for COVID-19. During the month of April, the health authorities in Sindh tested 47,429 people suspected for the virus, out of which 5,374 were found infected with the virus, while total number of deaths during the month came as 104. 

The overall death rate due to coronavirus remained about two per cent during the month, while on average 3.46 persons died every day across the province. 

In additions to the 12 deaths reported on April 30 at 8 am, another upsetting development for the health managers and workers across the province was an increase of about three per cent in the province’s daily new COVID-19 infection rate. Its daily new infection rate ranged from 8.14% to 10.64% during a period from April 23 to 28 and 10.99% on April 29.

Of the 12 COVID-19 related deaths declared on April 30, five occurred in the government hospitals, DUHS (Ojha) Hospital (4) and PNS Shifa (1), while four in the private health settings, Indus Hospital (3) and Aga Khan University Hospital (1). 

Three patients lost their lives at their respective homes, said the official sources, adding that the deceased patients included three females aged 60, 55 and 75 years, respectively, and nine males aged 74, 38, 42, 48, 62, 51, 70, 74 and 76 years respectively. 

Appearing concerned over the rate of COVID-19 deaths, keen observers suggested that this was high time government’s health managers and advisers paid attention to the ‘out of proportion’ rate of deaths which might get worse further. 

The increase in deaths indicates that the overall management of critically ill patients was not up to the mark, added a government sector physician saying the reported shifting of COVID-19 patients from one hospital to another should also be discouraged, while more attention be given to those who are old-age and co-morbid. 

Another source in the health circles said that the hospitals handling the critically ill patients should be advised to pool their resource of expertise together to address the situation. 

“Government had moved to improve the intensive care facilities and ensure sharing of experts between the competent and less competent hospitals in the hour of need, but little could be known later.” 

It was further said that the government should ensure specialized medical care in the case of patients who are being treated at homes as many of them needed more than what the civil administration officers are doing in their case. 

According to health department’s data issued on April 30, in all 6,053 people including pilgrims, expatriates, tableeghi jamat members and local transmission cases, were tested positive for COVID-19 in Sindh since February 26 when the first cases of the infection was detected in the province, out of which 112 patients expired at Karachi (101), Sukkur (4), Hyderabad (2), Shaheed Benazirabad (1), Ghotki (1), Larkana (1), Tando Mohammad Khan (1) and Matiari (1). 

In all 54,377 people have been tested so far in the province. The new infections were reported from Karachi (299), Shikarpur (34), Dadu (6), Hyderabad (5), Sanghar (4), Sukkur (3), Jacobbad (2), Jamshoro (1), Naushehro Ferroze (1), Thatta (1), Matiari (1) and Mirpurkhas (1). 

Of the infected people across Sindh 53 more recovered during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am on April 30, taking the total number of patients who recovered from the disease to 1,222 (20.18%), against 4,105 (24.9%) out of 16,473 across the country.