The coronavirus situation in Karachi is getting out of control. The number of cases are spreading like wildfire and there is panic. The positivity rate has surged past 30%. The burgeoning cases are filing up hospitals and once again burdening the nascent healthcare system.
The Sindh government has raised alarm over the worsening situation and is mulling on imposing a complete lockdown in the largest metropolis. Health experts have stated that the only way to reduce the spike in cases is by imposing a complete 15-day lockdown. The positivity ratio could be much higher if people who have not taken virus tests are also included. It is likely that the Sindh government will impose stringent measures before the fourth wave leads to a disaster.
The situation in hospitals is already worsening and many have closed down OPDs and surgeries. There is a wait of over two hours at local dispensaries as people struggle amid the health crisis. The provincial government has decided to establish a 100-bed hospital for passengers who test positive after arriving in the city. In Karachi, there are 100 patients in critical condition on ventilators, the highest in two years since the pandemic began. The rest are on oxygen tanks whose supply is gradually dwindling. Hospitals have established new wards for coronavirus patients and had to import equipment amid the surging cases.
The irony is that people are still not taking the virus seriously. The authorities had earlier imposed a ban on unnecessary movement after evening but it is being openly flouted. Although schools, restaurants, and wedding halls are closed, the movement of people is adding to the rising cases. There should be more stringent measures so that people do not roam around needles and risk their and other’s lives.
Although the situation in Karachi is at a tipping point, the federal government still does not believe that a lockdown for weeks is the solution to tackling the fourth wave. It is often seen that cases rise once again after the restrictions are relaxed. In such circumstances, we have no option but to realise the gravity of the situation and control the spike in cases.
