Coronavirus surge overwhelms major hospitals in Pakistan’s largest city 

ISLAMABAD: A sharp spike in coronavirus infections has overwhelmed major hospitals in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, local media reported, as the positivity ratio soared past 20 percent in less than a week.
After a steady decline in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, infection numbers have once again shot up in Pakistan, with the government warning of a looming fourth wave of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 wards at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Center (SIDHRC), Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, the Indus Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and other health facilities, including the isolation ward at Expo Center, have reached their capacity,” the Express Tribune reported. “Some have initiated efforts to make extra arrangements for new patients.”
“All 140 beds are occupied, there isn’t space for even a single [new] patient,” SIDHRC Medical Superintendent Dr. Wahid Rajput told media. “All new patients are being referred to other government hospitals but the situation is dire there as well.”
“Just spend five rupees and wear a mask so we may curb the spread of the virus,” he said. “Those who are violating coronavirus-mandated standard operating procedures (SOPs) are creating an unfavorable situation for others as well.”
At JPMC, the city’s largest public hospital, all surgeries except emergency procedures have been suspended for the past week. Out of the 90 beds in the facility’s COVID-19 ward, 80 are occupied, media reported.
“A new ward of 70-beds is being set up,” JPMC Executive Director Dr. SeeminJamali told reporters, saying most patients coming to the hospital were in critical condition and had been referred by other hospitals which could not accommodate them.
Indus Hospital’s Dr. Abdul Bari reported a similar situation: “There is no place in the hospital. But we are arranging extra beds to accommodate more patients.”
The past week had been critical, Bari said, adding that the jump in positive cases had been sudden.
Over a dozen COVID patients were being shifted from Indus Hospital to other facilities as the hospital could accommodate them, he said: “This is possibly because of the spread of the Delta variant,” he added, referring to a coronavirus strain that is believed to be more transmissible and deadly.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sindh Health Services Director General Dr. Irshad Memon said more beds were being arranged for hospitals.
The number of patients is increasing but the number of deaths is under control, he said.