Karachi is currently experiencing a cold wave, with the COVID-19 positivity rate recorded at 30 percent among patients presenting with cold, cough, and fever symptoms.
According to media reports, Professor Saeed Khan, an infectious disease specialist at Dow University Hospital, a large number of people in the city are suffering from these symptoms.
Tests show that 25 percent to 30 percent of these patients are testing positive for COVID-19. Additionally, 10 percent to 12 percent of patients are diagnosed with Influenza H1N1, while 5 percent to 10 percent of children are suffering from respiratory tract infections.
Professor Khan pointed out that the symptoms of COVID-19, Influenza H1N1, and other winter-related viral infections are very similar.
As a result, many patients avoid testing, leading to undiagnosed cases of these illnesses.
Dr. Nizam Sheikh, Additional Medical Superintendent at Civil Hospital, mentioned that around 200 viral infection patients are treated daily at their hospital, while Jinnah Hospital sees 150 to 200 such cases every day.
However, a spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department noted that public hospitals currently lack COVID-19 testing facilities, as many people have stopped getting tested since the decline of the pandemic.
Medical experts are urging citizens to take preventive measures, such as wearing masks, staying covered, and getting an annual influenza vaccine, to protect themselves from viral infections.
