As the Sindh health department reported two deaths from Covid-19 on Wednesday raising this month’s mortalities to three, experts stated that the provincial health department’s data was not reflective of the actual number of infections as a few patients were getting tested.
So far, according to the health department data, at least nine people have died of the disease this year at different health facilities in the province.
Both the recent victims were women, one aged 65 years and the other 73 years.
The victims were under treatment at the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre (SIDHRC) — a public sector facility offering free treatment to all its patients, including those having coronavirus.
“This month we have three Covid deaths. All patients were women who had other health complications as well, including renal failure, chronic diabetes and high blood pressure. One of them was a heart patient,” Dr Abdul Wahid Rajput, medical superintendent of the SIDHRC, told journalists. One patient was 78 years old, he added.
Currently, six Covid-19 patients, two men and four women, are under treatment at the hospital. One patient is on the ventilator while the other rests on normal oxygen supplies.
“The Covid situation in the city is neither alarming nor worrisome right now. We get one or two cases in a week and that’s pretty normal given the fact that religious gatherings are being held regularly these days and market places are getting crowded as Eid is approaching,” Dr Rajput explained, adding that the three victims were under treatment at the hospital for eight to 10 days.
According to the provincial official figures, 70 tests were carried out between April 10 and April 11 out of which 17 cases were found positive for Covid-19.
A total of 788 patients, however, are in home isolation while government-designated isolation centres are vacant.
A total of 17 patients are being treated at hospitals where the condition of four patients is said to be critical.
