Sindh detects numerous cases of Omicron 

KARACHI:  To determine the incidence of Omicron in Sindh, the government conducted 351 tests, of which 175 were identified as Omicron, accounting for 50% of the tests aside from delta and other variants.

This emerged in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, at Chief Minister House, Karachi.

The meeting was attended by Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister of Health, Sindh, Murtaza Wahab, Advisor to Chief Minister, Sindh, Qasim Soomro Parliamentary Secretary on Health, Sindh, and other concerned officers. 

According to the conference, 351 samples were examined to determine the presence of the Omicron variation in the province, and 175 cases of Omicron were reported. It was also mentioned that out of 175, none of them was female. Few have travelled before, with the majority coming from the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Nairobi, and Angola.

It was pointed out that during the last 30 days, from December 3, 2021, to January 2, 2022, the number of COVID-19 cases had started increasing. On December 3, 2021, 261 new cases were detected, which kept on showing an upward trend and finally, on January 2, 2022, reached 403.

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Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the situation was critical and urged the health department to start an extensive vaccination drive and increase tests of the people all over Sindh. 

He asked the residents of the province to adopt precautionary measures. Otherwise, the Government of Sindh would have to take strict measures.

The meeting was briefed that during the last 30 days, December 4, 2021, to January 1, 2022, 51 patients died, of them 40 or 78 per cent on ventilators, six or 12 per cent off ventilators, five or 10 per cent at home.

To a question, the CM was told that 29,579 471 vaccinations had been administered all over Sindh.