COVID-19: Delta variant causes havoc in Pakistan's Karachi, city falls short of hospital beds

With Karachi reporting a high number of Delta variant cases, several health experts have warned that COVID-19 situation in the city has become very dangerous, alarming and is the cause of serious concern.

The city has been facing a shortage of hospital beds and several doctors' organisations have advised the provincial government to impose health emergencies in the city, The Gulf News reported.

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

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

"City's positivity rate had increased to 23.12 per cent in just 24 hours against 8.5-9 per cent 10 days ago," Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister, Murtaza Wahab said.

COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) are not being followed by people. With Eid Al Adha approaching it is a very dangerous, alarming and concerning situation in the city, Murtaza Wahab said.

Pakistan reported 2,145 cases of coronavirus on Tuesday. The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has reached 991,727 COVID-19 cases, while the number of total COVID-19 deaths stands at 22,848.

( With inputs from ANI )