87 percent rise in coronavirus cases in 18 days: Murad

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that during the last 18 days, 87 percent rise has been recorded in the coronavirus cases. "This is alarming, and the pandemic needs more focused and collective efforts to control it."
This he said while participating in the prime minister's meeting through video link from CM House. The meeting was also attended by Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho, Coordinator Haris Gazdar, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, DG Rangers Major-General Omer Bukhari, IG Sindh Mushtaq Maher, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, ACS Home Usman Chachar, Brigadier Sami of Corps-5, Secretary Investment Najam Shah, Dr Bari CEO of Indus Hospital and Prof Dr Faisal.
The chief minister said that there were 783 cases reported till afternoon of April 3. "If the figures of the cases of last 17 to 18 days are calculated it will show 87 percent rise in the infection. This is alarming and it must be contained with well worked out collective efforts." He also said the his government was facing shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and testing kits for coronavirus.
The medical professionals working in isolation centers and in the hospitals must be clad in PPEs to avoid infection risk, he said and added, "The PPEs available with the provincial government were running out. Therefore more PPEs are required." At this the DG MPDA said that he had sent the PPEs to Sindh and if they had been used he would arrange for more kits.
The chief minister also said that the testing kits provided by the PDMA had some accuracy issues, as had been pointed out by the experts working with Sindh government, and so they were not being used. The prime minister directed the PDMA to coordinate with the provincial government and resolve the issues of kits.
Thalassemia patients: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed health department to issue necessary instructions to the regional blood banks to provide blood for thalassemia patients.
"I am worried about the patients, particularly the children," he said and added they must be administered blood as per schedule. The minister health assured the chief minister that she was issuing directives to RBCs for giving blood for thalassemia patients.