Coronavirus Update: Fatality, infection rise

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh’s overall COVID-19 fatality tally surpassed 900, including 746 patients who lost their lives in public and private hospitals across the province, with overall 59,983 infection cases on June 17 when the authorities confirmed deaths of another 30 patients during the last 24 hours.

According to the provincial health department’s data, 2,115 new infections were registered across the province while 2,417 recovered from the diseases during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on June 17. 

Like previous days, deaths were reported mainly from Karachi, one of few cities in the country housing very big size of COVID-19 infected people. 

Karachi, with 24,251 active patients of corona diseases, witnessed relevant deaths of another 28 persons on June 17, including 18 men aged from 25 to 81 years and 10 women who were in the age brackets of 25 to 92 years. 

The department did not mention the places where these patients succumbed to the lethal virus or the medical briefs of the patients. 

Another official source revealed that overall 80 COVID-19 patients lost their lives at the Aga Khan University Hospital while 85 others at the Civil Hospital Karachi. 

The maximum of 107 deaths occurred at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, followed by Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (95), Dow University Hospital (88), Indus Hospital (72), Ziauddin Hospital (51), Lyari General Hospital (27), SMBB Trauma Centre (23), PNS Shifa (15), Liaquat University of Health and Medical Sciences Hospital (22) and other hospitals.

An official report, meanwhile, revealed that three COVID-19 patients died in home-isolation on June 16.

Of the new infection cases reported on June 17, 1,744 were registered at Karachi, followed by Sukkur (62), Ghotki (52), Khairpur (33), Mirpurkhas (32), Larkana (32), Kashmore (29), Naushero Feroze (16), Sanghar (19), Hyderabad (17), Jamshoro (15), Badin (13), Kambar Shahdadkot (9), Shaheed Benazirabad (8), Umerkot (7), Jacobabad (7), Shikarpur (4), Tando Allahyar (4), Tando Mohammad Khan (3) and Dadu (3).

In the meantime, it was learnt, 244 patients were still receiving treatment at different intensive care units of hospitals across the province on June 17.

The overall new infection rate remained 21% on June 17, while as many as 17 COVID-19 testing laboratories conducted 10,212, against the collective capacity of testing 11,450 samples.

Consultants' support solicited for CPEC

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Naghmana Hashmi, called on the China International Engineering Consulting Corporation (CIECC) to continue supporting the construction projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Ambassador made the remark during her recent meeting with Wang An, President, CIECC, in Beijing, according to the official website of the consulting firm.

She pointed out that the projects under the CPEC framework such as Gwadar Port have made rapid development and projects like these have not only changed the local landscape but also benefited the local population.

Ambassador Hashmi expressed the determination that the CPEC projects would meet their deadlines although their progress had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President of the CIECC, Wang An, informed that their company has been engaged in the CPEC projects, especially since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward.

The CIECC has played an important role in the planning of industrial parks in Pakistan, construction of CPEC, and operation of Gwadar Port.

Established in 1982,  the CIECC is one of the China’s largest comprehensive engineering consulting firms. It has undertaken a large number of construction projects and development plans of great significance to the national economy and people's livelihood.