KARACHI: At least 17 more patients of the coronavirus died during the past 24 hours in Sindh, lifting the provincial death toll to 5,273. In a daily statement on the Covid-19 situation, Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said 616 more people were diagnosed with the COVID-19 during the same period in the province. A total of 13,992 Covid-19 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, he said. He added that out of 616 fresh infections, 352 belong to Karachi. It may be noted that separately today, in a bid to help inoculate people who need to travel abroad for education or jobs, the federal government has revised guidelines for the AstraZeneca vaccine and allowed citizens who are 18 or older to get the jab. According to new guidelines issued by the National Ministry of Health, the vaccine shot could be given to the male aged 18 years or above, and the women above 40 years of age. As per guidelines, people waiting to travel abroad would be given AstraZeneca jab while the government has restricted the use of AstraZeneca vaccine in people below 18 years of age.
