Sindh Chief Minister orders strict implementation of SOPs as virus cases rises

Karachi, November 06, 2020 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, keeping in view the worsening situation of COVID-19 in the province, has called for strict implementation of standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) in all the institutions, including business, social, religious, educational and others and in case of non-compliance he has ordered strict action against the delinquent.

“We can’t contain the virus until our people make the SOPs part of their lives, otherwise I would have no option but to impose restrictions,” he said while presiding over a meeting of the Task Force on Coronavirus here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Information Nasir Shah, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Police Mushtaq Maher, ACS Home Usman Chachar, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary School Education Ahmed Bux Narejo, Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Colleges Bakar Naqvi, Dr. Bari, Dr. Faisal, representatives of Corps-5, Pakistan Rangers and others.

The chief minister said that the detection rate was on the increase in the province and the situation of the COVID-19 was also worsening on international level, he said and added most of the countries have started imposing lockdowns again. The chief minister was told that overnight 579 new cases have emerged when 10,330 tests were conducted which constituted 5.6 percent detection rate.

At this the chief minister said that 5.6 percent detection rate was high, therefore he directed the health department to enhance its testing capacity to 15,000 per day. It was pointed out that so far 1,703,818 samples have been tested against which 148,922 cases have been diagnosed, of them 95 percent or 140,233 patients have recovered, including 367 overnight.

Shah was told that during the last five days 25931 tests were conducted in Karachi against which 1932 cases were detected that constituted 7.45 percent detection which was highest in the province. Similarly, 1577 tests were conducted in Hyderabad district where 144 new cases emerged that came to 9.13 percent detection, In the rest of the province 22530 tests were conducted which diagnosed 1.85 percent or 416 cases.

The chief minister said that the recovery rate in the province was encouraging but the new spike in the cases was worrisome and needed immediate drastic measures to contain the virus. He directed Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahalwani to issue directives to the deputy commissioners to ensure proper and strict implementation of SOPs such as wearing masks, observing social distancing, avoiding hand shake and crowds.

Shah directed the deputy commissioners to start checking in all institutions, including educational, religious [mosques, shrines, temples, etc.] business centers, shopping malls, factories, super markets, restaurants etc. for implementation of the SOPs. “In case of violation [of SOPs] strict action must be taken including sealing of the set up,” he said.

The chief minister was informed that currently 6022 patients were under treatment, of them 5729 were in home isolation, four at isolation centers and 289 at different hospitals, of them the condition of 222 patients was stated to be critical, including 25 shifted to ventilators. It was also disclosed that three patients died overnight lifting the death toll to 2667 that constituted 1.8 percent death rate.

It was pointed out that till November 6, 39 patients of COVID-19 have lost their lives. The chief minister said that this was alarming and we have to take strict measures to save the lives of our people. The chief minister directed secretary health to revisit all the government hospitals to ensure availability of oxygen, medicines and other facilities for COVID-19 patients and if there was any shortage it must be met immediately.

The chief minister considered different options to implement the SOPs, including reduction in business hours in all the institutions or imposition of selected lockdown. “I want to take strict measures in consultation with the federal government so that there should be uniformity in our national decisions, he said.

Shah was informed that out of 579 new cases, 380 have been detected from Karachi, including 147 from East, 98 South, 53 Central, 46 Korangi, 19 Malir and 17 West. Dadu has 11 new cases, Hyderabad and Jacobabad seven each, Badin six, Khairpur two, Larkana, Naushehroferoze, Sanghar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Umerkot one case each. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to keep him posting district-wise daily progress reports of implementation of the SOPs.

For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019(Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk