COVID-19: Delta variant plays havoc in Karachi, experts call for imposition of health emergency

Islamabad: Health experts are concerned over the rising number of coronavirus cases in the provincial capital of Sindh.

According to Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister, Senator Murtaza Wahab, the COVID-19 situation in Karachi had become very dangerous, alarming and causing serious concern among health officials of the province.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Murtaza Wahab said the city’s positivity rate had increased to 23.12 per cent in the last 24 hours against 8.5-9 per cent 10 days ago.

He said COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) weren’t being followed by people after the Sindh government relaxed restrictions which led to the positivity increase.

With Eid Al Adha approaching it is a very dangerous, alarming and concerning situation in the city, Murtaza Wahab cautioned.

Hospitals facing shortage of space

Meanwhile, the city on Monday reported an overwhelming number of the cases of Delta variant reporting to different public sector hospitals.

“We are running short of beds as the new variant is playing havoc and people are increasingly caught in its grip,” said Dr Abdul Bari, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indus Hospital Karachi.

In view of the seriousness of the situation, representatives of the doctors’ organisations have advised the provincial government to impose a health emergency in the city.

In view of the spike in cases of COVID-19, the 48-bed surgical ward of Karachi’s Civil Hospital has been turned into a coronavirus ward. Likewise, Lyari General Hospital is also receiving children infected with Delta virus.

991,727 confirmed cases of COVID-19

On Monday, 2,452 new cases in a period of 24 hours were reported and this was the fourth consecutive day since July 15, when the country is registering more than 2,000 cases on a daily basis.

Pakistan’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached 991,727 while the death toll after 30 fatalities in the last one day stood at 22,811.

According to the National Command & Operation Centre (NCOC), the number of positive cases had also jumped from 47,531 on Sunday to 48,550 on Monday. Pakistan’s positivity rate on Monday was a little lower than 5 per cent registering 4.95 per cent across the country.

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