Coronavirus Update: Apprehension of momentum gain in Karachi

 By Mukhtar Alam

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Amidst apprehension that COVID-19 was gaining momentum again in Sindh, Karachi’s daily infection rate remained almost static, though on the higher side, on October 2 when the authorities confirmed another 316 cases, with five related deaths, during the last 24 hours.

The health authorities at Karachi registered 70.5% new cases out of Sindh’s daily tally of October 2. Earlier the megapolis reported 249 (69%) new cases on October 1, 221 (71%) on September 30, 297 (74%0 on September 29 and 185 (73.7% on September 27. 

With five new relevant deaths the fatality tally for the province was pushed to 2,517 on October 2. However, no data and information related to deaths or cases specific status of districts were available on the Sindh health department’s website. 

The only source of information relevant to COVID-19 was the Sindh Chief Minister’s statement which, according to an observer, was too little in this direction. 

He suggested to the government to ensure a timely and fair dissemination of updates on the diseases and improve its monitoring system at the airports and other entry points and gathering spots, to avert any massive second spell of COVID-19 in the province. 

Meanwhile in his daily COVID-19 statement, Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah on October 2, shared that there were 4,536 active patients of the infection across Sindh, including 4250 in home isolation, seven in designated isolation centres and 270 at hospitals, adding thath ealth condition of 200 patients was critical while 37 were put on ventilators. 

In all 12,990 samples were tested during the 24 hours ending 8 am on October 2, while the district wise breakdown of new positive cases came as: Karachi (223), Hyderabad (9), Badin (8), Dadu (5), Kambar Shahdadkot (5), Jamshoro (4), Larkana (3), Ghotki (2), Matiari (2), Tando Mohammad Khan (2), Mirpurkhas (1), Naushero Feroze (1), Sukkur (1), Tando Allahyar (1), Thatta (1), and others. 

Sindh registered 57% of the new cases recorded in the country on October 2, while 62% of the deaths. In the meantime, the national COVID-19 dashboard's graphics showed Sindh’s new cases as 677 new fatalities as 18 for October 1, which, according to a keen observer, needed to be rechecked.

Oil prices dip after Trump gets coronavirus, economies wobble

 By Masood Sattar Khan 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Oil prices fell five percent on October 2 after the US President, Donald Trump, tested positive for COVID-19 and negotiators failed to agree a US stimulus package just as rising global oil output threatened to overwhelm a weak price recovery. 

Brent crude was reported to have slipped on the Trump news and was down $2.05, or 5.01 percent, at $38.88 a barrel by 1324 GMT. US oil was down $2.01, or 5.19 percent, at $36.71. 

According to reports, the US and Brent crude were heading for drops of around nine percent and seven percent respectively this week for a second consecutive week of declines.

“US unemployment data was a little bit below expectations but the oil price fall is part of the broader correction we’ve seen over the last few days driven by bearish macro sentimentand technical trading,” Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodity research at BNP Paribas, was quoted as saying. 

“We’ve moved below several short-term moving averages, 30, 50 and 100-days, so the market is looking for the next support level, which could be around $37 a barrel,” he added.

Pakistani female student excels in agro-ecosystems

 By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The insect-pest has long been a problem for Pakistani farmers, and the aim to ease the burden of farmers and improve yield has sparked Hafiza Javeria Ashraf, a Pakistani student, in learning agri-entomology and pest control in China. 

"I hope I can play a role in integrated pest management (IPM) that emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control,” Javeria Ashraf, a female PhD scholar at the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) in China, remarked. 

Javeria had graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural entomology. She proceeded to China for higher studies and received master’s degree at the FAFU in 2018. 

As one of the top 10 students, she was rewarded by the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) and the FAFU where she continued her PhD study in plant protection. The scholarship was established for excellent scientists in the agricultural field based on an agreement signed between FAFU and UAF in 2017.

“Being a girl, I’m the first one among the whole family to come overseas for studies. My parents supported me upon this decision and encouraged me to acquire a doctorate from China,” Javeria said. 

“The facilities provided by the State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, College of Plant Protection, FAFU, and my respectable adviser, Prof. Liande Wang, is the major reasons I was able to pursue my research dreams,” she acknowledged. 

“As I have a keen interest in and a grip on basic knowledge in plant protection, I deliberately chose the research subject of pests control, under which I study the insects that impair the growth of orange orchards,” Javeria stated. 

“Being a patriotic person, I prefer to go back to serve my country and contribute my knowledge and skills to my motherland as it is flourishing and the agriculture sector needs experts like me to realize higher production,” she concluded.