Delta or Indian variant not predominant in Karachi: ‘SA variant more common in Karachi, UK variant in Lahore’

KARACHI: The South African or the Beta is the predominant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Karachi, where some cases of Indian or Delta variants have also been detected, while UK or Alpha is the predominant variant of the Coronavirus in Lahore, federal health officials said, adding that unfortunately all the existing variants are being detected in Islamabad in the equal proportions.

“The Delta or Indian variant is being detected and it is spreading now but it is still not the predominant variant in Pakistan like India, United States and several other states. Pakistan is vaccinating around 300-400 people daily with a mix and match of vaccines and with this speed, a fourth wave would not be as dangerous as previous ones,” a senior official of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS, R&C) told The News on Friday.

The official maintained that 16 samples of Coronavirus from Karachi were brought to National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad last week for genome sequencing and claimed that none of them contained the Delta or the Indian variant. “All the samples from Karachi were of South African or the Beta variant, which shows that Delta is not the predominant variant in the port city”, the official added.

Similarly, he claimed that UK or Alpha variant was predominant in Lahore where the prevalence of South African and Indian variants were less comparatively but added that all four variants of the Coronavirus were present and spreading in the capital including Wuhan, UK, South African and Indian variants. Commenting on the spread of Indian or Delta variant in Pakistan, Vice Chancellor Health Services Academy (HSA) Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan said there was no need to be scared of the Indian variant as it was not yet the predominant variant in Pakistani cities but advised people to get vaccinated at the earliest and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to remain safe and healthy.

“The Covid-19 cases are steadily on the rise but it should not be a major cause of concern for the people provided they get themselves vaccinated and follow the SOPs”, he added. When asked about the possibility of fourth wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan, he said if people continued to show complacency, there are chances of a fourth wave around Eid-ul-Azha but added that authorities could introduce some Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) around the holy festival to contain the spread of virus.

He maintained that around 20 million doses of different vaccines were administered in Pakistan while over 12 million had been fully vaccinated in the country and added that vaccines, either conventional or new ones, prevent from severe disease of COVID-19 and death.

On the other hand, officials at Aga Khan University (AKU) Karachi confirmed that some cases of Delta or Indian variant were detected in the samples from Karachi but confirmed that South African or Beta is the predominant variant in Karachi but warned that community transmission of Indian variant is a serious cause of concern. “Delta variant is 60 to 225 percent more transmissible than UK variant and its transmission has commenced in Karachi. There is need to take precautionary measures to prevent its spread as people are becoming more complacent these days”, an infectious diseases expert at AKU said.