KARACHI: Sindh, with its increased number of daily infections, shared 46% of the national daily COVID-19 infection load on August 4 when authorities here confirmed 311 new cases, out of 3,922 tests, with five more related fatalities, during the last 24 hours.

Sindh’s overall infection rate came as 16% as its overall tally of infection was recorded 122,016 infections, while daily infection rate increased to 8% against 5% of the preceding day.

The provincial infection number was 489 on July 31 as compared to 270 on August 1 which went down to 117 on August 2 and rose to 219 on August 3.

As many as 10 of the COVID-19 laboratories did not perform at all, while another 15 laboratories, including DUHS Hospital (18 tests), CHK (72), AKUH (311, Indus (304), SIUT (30) and PCMD-KU (163), took up samples below the capacity.

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, sharing the disease’s status in his routine statement, briefed that as many as 6,517 patients were receiving treatment at homes (6,101), isolation centres (9), hospitals (407), while, among them, 356 were in critical condition of their health. As many as 57 patients were put on ventilators.

He said that the provincial COVID-19 fatality reached to 2,213, with the cases fatality rate at 1.8%, as five more patients succumbed to the diseases during the last 24 hours ending on August 4 afternoon.

However, he or the health department did not reveal the district-wise segregation, age, gender and hospitalization of the deceased persons.

As per an official report, of the two patients who died on August 3 in Sindh, one was living in Karachi while the other one resided in Dadu. About 65% of the new infection on August 4 was reported from Karachi.

The district-wise breakdown of new cases resulted showed as Karachi (201), Shaheed Benazirabad (12), Hyderabad (9), Sukkur (7), Ghotki (6), Sujawal (6), Sanghar (5), Thatta (5), Larkana (4), Dadu (3), Jamshoro (3), Kashmore (3) and Badin (2).

Jacobabad, Kambar Shadadkot, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Tharparkar and Umerkot registered one case of COVID-19 each.

During the last 24 hours, Pakistan registered 675 new infections, with 15 new deaths, while the number of total tests conducted during the last 24 hours in the country was recorded as 11,915–PNFS