41 new coronavirus cases surface in Karachi

KARACHI: Locally transmitted coronavirus cases are on the rise in Karachi as 41 more tested positive for COVID-19 in the metropolis on Monday, taking the provincial tally to 1452, ARY News reported.

According to the latest data shared by the Sindh Health and Population Department, the number of patients in Karachi alone rose to 937 with 41 new cases reported today.

The total number of recovered patients in the province reached to 419, the report said and added that 31 people have died of the pandemic in the province thus far.

Earlier today, the rate of locally transmitted cases of coronavirus had risen to 52 per cent in Pakistan which needed to be controlled immediately after increasing the COVID-19 testing capacity, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza had said.

Dr Zafar Mirza, while addressing a joint press conference with planning minister Asad Umar, had said the health authorities were making maximum efforts to controlling the local transmission of coronavirus disease. He had emphasised the need for increasing the capacity of COVID-19 tests.

“We were conducted 800 tests per day earlier when the country received testing kits while the capacity is now increased to 3,000 in a day. The capacity will be hiked to 20-25,000 per day by the end of April. At this time, Pakistan is capable of conducting 600,000 tests which would be taken to 10-15 lakhs by the end of this month.”