British Covid variant confirmed in Karachi

The Sindh government on Tuesday confirmed the first cases of the UK variant of Covid-19 in Karachi among passengers who had returned from Britain in the last 12 days, as the authorities launched a gigantic exercise to trace the patients’ contacts.

In a statement, the provincial health department said that 12 samples of the UK returnees were taken for genotyping, out of which six persons were positive and the three showed the new variant of the Covid virus in the first phase.

”The genotyping shows 95 per cent match of the new variant from the UK,” the health departments said. The statement added that those samples will also go through another phase of genotyping. ”It will take a few more days for another genotyping.”

Speaking to The Express Tribune, department’s spokesperson Meeran Yousuf said that all the patients were under treatment at one of the largest private hospitals of the city. “All are in stable condition,” Yousuf confirmed.

The spokesperson said that the department was also trying to trace the contacts. “They also need to get tested for the virus,” she explained, adding the process of tracing the contacts will be completed in next three to four days. ”The contacts persons will also be isolated,” Yousuf said.

All the patients are Pakistani nationals and, according to the health department, belong to the port city. The persons with symptoms were traced last week, who reached the city in the last 12 days, the health department’s spokesperson added.

Pakistan had already banned all UK flights following the emergence of the virus variant there earlier this month. Several other countries have taken similar measures. There is no evidence yet that suggested that the mutation was deadlier than the prevailing strain.

Last week, the authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported coronavirus positive cases among a few passengers, who had returned from the UK, however, the local officials would not confirm the new strain, but said that the tests were referred to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.

The national health services ministry in Islamabad said on Tuesday that two samples at the NIH and three at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi might have the variant strain, based on preliminary analysis.

According to a ministry official, these results have to be confirmed through further analysis – whole genome sequencing – which will take some more days to complete. He added that the NCOC and the ministry were following this closely and necessary updates would be provided in due course.

The United Kingdom reported the detection of a variant of Covid-19 or SARS-COV-2; called B.1.1.7, and VOC-202012/01, earlier this month. This strain had also been detected in other countries, including Australia, South Africa, Italy and the Netherlands.

The B.1.1.7 is stated to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the United Kingdom. Preliminary analysis by British experts suggested that there is no evidence so far to indicate that the infection caused by this variant is more severe.

Daily tally

The arrival of the UK variant in Pakistan was confirmed as 63 Covid patients died and 1,776 new cases were confirmed across the country in the last 24 hours. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), most of the Covid deaths occurred in Punjab and Sindh.

The NCOC said in its daily update that the national tally of active Covid-19 cases reached 39,599 on Tuesday, as against 1,776 new cases, 1,602 people recovered from the coronavirus during the last 24 hours. Among the 63 fatalities, 54 died in hospitals, including 31 on ventilators, it added.

Sindh remains the worst-affected province in the country with a provincial caseload of 212,093, including 3,502 deaths. Punjab has registered the highest death toll of 3,959 from the provincial caseload of 136,669. The total number of Covid patients across the country since the pandemic emerged in February has now reached 475,085, with 9,992 deaths.

The NCOC, which serves as the nerve centre of country’s unified effort against the pandemic, reviewed on Tuesday the national vaccine strategy aimed at ensuring early availability of the vaccine. The NCOC morning session also took stock of epidemic curve chart data.

The forum was briefed about the negotiations being made with the international vaccine manufacturers in order to get the in-time availability of the Covid vaccine. The forum was also briefed about the vaccine administration and immunisation plan, training of the staff.

During the meeting, Health experts highlighted the increasing ratio of Covid-19 positivity and deaths. The forum resolved that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) – alternate measures to treat the virus other than medical treatment – implementation should be ensured at all levels for mitigating the pandemic outbreak risk.

The new variant

According to a Reuters report, a new variant of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was spreading rapidly in Britain and prompting high levels of concern among its European neighbours, some of which have cut transport links.

The strain, referred to by some experts as the B.1.1.7 lineage, is not the first new variant of the pandemic virus to emerge, but is said to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the United Kingdom.

The new variant has rapidly become the dominant strain in cases of Covid-19 in parts of southern England, and has been linked to an increase in hospitalisation rates, especially in London and in the adjacent county of Kent.

While it was first seen in Britain in September, by the week of Dec. 9 in London, 62% of Covid-19 cases were due to the new variant. That compared to 28% of cases three weeks earlier.

The spokesperson said that the department was also trying to trace the contacts. “They also need to get tested for the virus,” she explained, adding the process of tracing the contacts will be completed in next three to four days. ”The contacts persons will also be isolated,” Yousuf said.

All the patients are Pakistani nationals and, according to the health department, belong to the port city. The persons with symptoms were traced last week, who reached the city in the last 12 days, the health department’s spokesperson added.

Pakistan had already banned all UK flights following the emergence of the virus variant there earlier this month. Several other countries have taken similar measures. There is no evidence yet that suggested that the mutation was deadlier than the prevailing strain.

Last week, the authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported coronavirus positive cases among a few passengers, who had returned from the UK, however, the local officials would not confirm the new strain, but said that the tests were referred to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.

The national health services ministry in Islamabad said on Tuesday that two samples at the NIH and three at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi might have the variant strain, based on preliminary analysis.

According to a ministry official, these results have to be confirmed through further analysis – whole genome sequencing – which will take some more days to complete. He added that the NCOC and the ministry were following this closely and necessary updates would be provided in due course.

The United Kingdom reported the detection of a variant of Covid-19 or SARS-COV-2; called B.1.1.7, and VOC-202012/01, earlier this month. This strain had also been detected in other countries, including Australia, South Africa, Italy and the Netherlands.

The B.1.1.7 is stated to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the United Kingdom. Preliminary analysis by British experts suggested that there is no evidence so far to indicate that the infection caused by this variant is more severe.

Daily tally

The arrival of the UK variant in Pakistan was confirmed as 63 Covid patients died and 1,776 new cases were confirmed across the country in the last 24 hours. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), most of the Covid deaths occurred in Punjab and Sindh.

The NCOC said in its daily update that the national tally of active Covid-19 cases reached 39,599 on Tuesday, as against 1,776 new cases, 1,602 people recovered from the coronavirus during the last 24 hours. Among the 63 fatalities, 54 died in hospitals, including 31 on ventilators, it added.

Sindh remains the worst-affected province in the country with a provincial caseload of 212,093, including 3,502 deaths. Punjab has registered the highest death toll of 3,959 from the provincial caseload of 136,669. The total number of Covid patients across the country since the pandemic emerged in February has now reached 475,085, with 9,992 deaths.

The NCOC, which serves as the nerve centre of country’s unified effort against the pandemic, reviewed on Tuesday the national vaccine strategy aimed at ensuring early availability of the vaccine. The NCOC morning session also took stock of epidemic curve chart data.

The forum was briefed about the negotiations being made with the international vaccine manufacturers in order to get the in-time availability of the Covid vaccine. The forum was also briefed about the vaccine administration and immunisation plan, training of the staff.

During the meeting, Health experts highlighted the increasing ratio of Covid-19 positivity and deaths. The forum resolved that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) – alternate measures to treat the virus other than medical treatment – implementation should be ensured at all levels for mitigating the pandemic outbreak risk.

(WITH INPUT FROM OUR ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT)