Delta variant proving deadlier

Report confirms drastically low Covid risk after vaccination

LAHORE:

Delta variant of novel coronavirus has claimed 80 per cent of the lives lost to the pandemic during its ongoing fourth wave in Punjab.

A report submitted to the Punjab health department showed that the variant accounted for 90% new cases of novel coronavirus in the province during the past two months.

“About 90% of the coronavirus positive patients brought to hospitals had not been vaccinated,” the report added.

It stated that 70% of the patients were above 55 Years of age, while the Delta variant of the virus had affected all other age groups equally. The variant poses a greater threat to patients of cardiac problems, asthma and diabetes.

The department had sought the report based on data from all districts across the province in connection with the peak of Covid-19.

The report has been shared with senior officials of the health ministry that is also launching an awareness campaign about the current alarming situation regarding coronavirus in Punjab.

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It confirmed an alarming rate of the spread of the variant of the virus believed to have originated in India.

A few weeks back, its patients were detected only in Rawalpindi. Afterward, some cases were detected in Lahore, but now the strain of the virus has spread to almost all districts of Punjab, accounting for about 80% of the death toll.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a senior official of the provincial health department said, “We now believe that the country, especially Punjab, is in the grip of the Delta variant of coronavirus.

Due to negligence of the authorities and disregard for the safety standard operating procedures (SOPs), we are now at the mercy of the variant.”

The official said the people must realize that it was a dangerous variant from which the chances of death were high.

Health department spokesperson Sayed Hamad Raza confirmed that the report had indicated a high ratio of deaths and patients of the Delta variant, but had also demonstrated that only the vaccinated people were safe as only 1% of hem had been affected.

“It was our stand from day one that vaccination is important and now the results of the report show that amid the alarming situation only those peoples are safe who have been vaccinated. We have been requesting the people to immediately get the vaccine,” he said.

At least 14 deaths and 1,208 new patients of coronavirus were reported in the province during the past 24 hours.

“There are 26,053 active coronavirus cases in Punjab, while the ratio of positive diagnostic cases is 6.3%. The ratio in Lahore was recorded at 12% in last 24 hours,” Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch stated.

He urged the people to follow the SOPs and try to stay away from public gatherings.

“We are doing record vaccination of people above 17 years of age in Punjab.” He said 12,223 people had died due to Covid-19 in Punjab, which had affected 414,391 citizens.

‘Smart lockdown’ has been imposed in 15 high-risk cities of different districts, while school shutdown has also been extended, but there is no sign of an improvement in the situation.

Parks, shrines, theatre and cinema halls are also closed, while restrictions have been imposed on business activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2021.