New Covid wave poses threat to Pakistan, says NIH

Picture source - AP

As a result of China’s decision to abandon its Zero-Covid policy the new coronavirus type that has been growing there has posed a threat to Pakistan as well, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

The Covid-19 virus has started spreading rapidly in China once again and the US broadcaster Bloomberg has claimed that in the first 20 days of December alone 18 percent of China’s population i.e. 248 million people have been infected with Covid.

After China chose to ease the lockdown and travel restrictions the NCOC has warned that there was a chance that the new version might infiltrate Pakistan. The Omicron variety was on the rise in China weeks after a sudden policy change that loosened its guidelines to stop the rising Covid cases, since the pandemic started three years ago, after demonstrations against the severe limits erupted.

Pakistan is completely equipped to manage the new variety, according to NCOC officials. They also said that the nation has previously responded quickly to Covid versions. Given that 90 percent of Pakistan’s eligible population has received the Covid vaccine there was a low danger, according to the statement.

Approximately 95 percent of the population, according to the government, has gotten at least one dosage of the vaccination. Meanwhile according to the NIH data about 4,403 people have gotten themselves tested for coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

The virus has been detected in up to 13 patients putting the positivity rate at 0.30 percent. 17 people are receiving intensive care and one fatality has been recorded. Pakistan reported another virus-related fatality on December 9.