KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Thursday directed divisional administration to ensure enforcement of a complete ban on inter-city transport from Friday and the ban would also apply on the transport coming other provinces.
“If any transport manages to enter into any district, it would not be allowed to go back to its original destination as long as the ban is enforced,” he took this decision while presiding over a Coronavirus Task Force meeting here at CM House. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Jam Ikram Dharejo, Parliamentary Secretary Qasim Siraj Soomro, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh, provincial secretaries, Hassan Naqvi, Ahmed Bux Narejo, Kazmin Jatoi, VC Dow University Dr Saeed Qureshi, Dr Bari, Dr Faisal and representatives of Corps-5, Rangers and WHO.
At the outset of the meeting, the decisions taken in the last Task Force meeting held on April 26 were reviewed in terms of their implementation. The chief minister was told that as per decision micro or complete lockdown had been enforced in the areas where positivity of COVID-19 cases were more than 15 percent. Currently, micro lockdown has been enforced in Karachi East, South and Hyderabad. The essential departments, including Health, Home, S and GAD, Finance, local government and public health were only working on urgent and important matters.
Some of the private offices were defying government instruction, the CM was told. At this the CM ordered commissioner Karachi to seal such offices without late. The meeting was told that inter-city transport was being closed from Friday, April 30 and intra-city transport would be allowed with SOPs.
The chief minister disclosed that he had spoken with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about the decision of provincial Task Force regarding ban on inter-city passenger bus transport and would talk to the chief ministers today. The hospitals have stopped elective surgeries and OPDs are functioning as per decision of the Task Force, the chief minister was told.
The meeting was told that a complete ban on indoor and outdoor dining in the restaurants had been enforced, except take way and home delivery services. It was disclosed that some star hotels were operating their dining facility. At this, the chief minister director commissioner Karachi to take strict action and ensure the enforcement of the ban.
COVID Positive ratio: Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho told the meeting that during last seven days, April 22 to 28, 2021, 29981 tests were conducted in Karachi against which 3,148 cases were detected that constituted 10.50 percent ratio.
In Hyderabad district, 7919 tests were conducted against which 1246 cases were diagnosed that came to 15.73 percent positive ratio. As many a 4152 tests were conducted in Sukkur which detected 316 cases that constituted 7.61 percent ratio.
In other districts of the province, 5,8554 tests were conducted which detected 1847 cases that constituted 31.15 percent ratio. “This is a serious situation, and we have to take more drastic decisions, apart from implementing the decisions taken in March 26 meeting.
Bed occupancy: There are 666 ICU beds with ventilators, of them 50 are occupied and 454 are vacant. In Sindh, 1872 ICU beds have oxygen facility, out them 343 are occupied and 1529 are vacant. There are also 1374 low flow beds, of them only 25 are occupied and 1349 are vacant.
The consumption of oxygen per day has been recorded at 33,884 m3 per day. The chief minister said that Italian government had some oxygen plants ready to import. He directed health department to coordinate with the consulate of Italy.