New cases of Delta, UK variants surface in K-P

Authorities fear a fourth wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the province

PESHAWAR:

Around 16 new cases of Delta version of Covid-19 virus have been detected in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa (K-P) along with five cases of UK version, setting alarms bell ringing across the province.

Talking to The Express Tribune an official of the Health Department said that samples from 50 patients had been sent Islamabad for testing and both highly dangerous Delta variant and UK versions were confirmed in the tests.

“Most of the affected persons are residents of Peshawar. Several samples taken from people coming from overseas had also been collected and sent Islamabad for testing and these variants were also confirmed among them too,” said the official.

When contacted, Secretary Health Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah said that all these developments, including the detection of highly dangerous variants of the infection, were a real cause of concern.

He urged the masses to get themselves vaccinated as it was the only available protection.

“Apart from vaccination, following the Covid-19 related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is also a must in order to check the spread of the disease,” he said.

Like the rest of the country, Covid-19 vaccination started in K-P province in February.

Read More: Delta variant could rear its head in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Authorities have already re-introduced a smart lockdown in the province after the experts made it clear that the positivity ratio was rapidly going up in the province once again and it could lead to a fourth waves of the pandemic which could result in the large number of deaths.

It is worth mentioning here that due to the lack of awareness among the masses and relaxation of Covid-19 related standard operating procedures (SOPs), the infection is once again spreading rapidly across five districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Talking to The Express Tribune an official of Health Department said that there was a sudden surge in the Covid-19 positivity ration in five district of the province including Peshawar, Bajaur, Batagram, Abbotabad and Kohat. He said that the positivity ratio has jumped to 8.8 percent suddenly and this is alarming.

“It indicates that the threat of a fourth wave of the epidemic is looming over the horizon,” claimed the official.

“In fact in Peshawar, Abbotabad and Batagram, a day to day positivity ration of 8.8 percent has been recorded. And in Bajaur and Kohat the ratio is 6.6 percent,” he said, adding that over all the positivity ration of Covid-19 has reached 1.5 percent in the province.

“In the past 24 hours in the province around 10,117 tests were conducted in which 150 were positive,” he said, adding that in 18 districts the positivity ratio had dropped to zero percent which was previously the case in 21 districts.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the number of the Corona patients was once again on the rise in the hospitals in the province despite the fact that recently it experienced a decline.

“At the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) there are 60 patients admitted while at Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) 31 beds of occupied and at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) there are 50 patients,” they said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2021.