tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2021 Jan 28.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26825. Online ahead of print.
Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variant: A Wake-Up Call for Pakistan's overburdened Healthcare System
Usman Ayub Awan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Aamer Ali Khattak[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Muhammad Sohail Afzal[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nauman Iqbal[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Muhammad Faisal Nadeem[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is swiftly increasing from the past few weeks. In Pakistan, an unprecedented resurgence of COVID-19 has been observed, and the current count has reached over half a million, with more than 9 thousand deaths so far. Dreadfully, a variant of concern (VOC-202012/01), previously known as VUI-202012/01, was first identified in the United Kingdom (UK). As of 13 December, more than 1,100 cases of this variant contagion have been reported throughout the UK. Alarmingly, the health department in Sindh has confirmed that 12 samples of UK returnees have been tested for genotype, six of them observed positive, and three of these showed the COVID-19 variant in the early phase. As a low-income country, Pakistan, with impoverished medical facilities persistent, shortage of healthcare personnel, increasing medical costs, shortage of medical equipment, and severe financial woes, cannot cater to the re-epidemics of VOC-202012/01 if it occurs, then the health sector might collapse. The current pandemic has uncovered significant challenges and flaws in Pakistan's emergency and health processes concerning infectious disease prevention. Efficient government interventions and concrete actions must be taken to educate peoples and deal with their wrong perceptions. If policymakers do not act wisely, the country will face a massive tragedy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 Variant, Pakistan; Healthcare System.
. 2021 Jan 28.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26825. Online ahead of print.
Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variant: A Wake-Up Call for Pakistan's overburdened Healthcare System
Usman Ayub Awan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Aamer Ali Khattak[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Muhammad Sohail Afzal[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nauman Iqbal[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Muhammad Faisal Nadeem[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33506951
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26825
Abstract
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is swiftly increasing from the past few weeks. In Pakistan, an unprecedented resurgence of COVID-19 has been observed, and the current count has reached over half a million, with more than 9 thousand deaths so far. Dreadfully, a variant of concern (VOC-202012/01), previously known as VUI-202012/01, was first identified in the United Kingdom (UK). As of 13 December, more than 1,100 cases of this variant contagion have been reported throughout the UK. Alarmingly, the health department in Sindh has confirmed that 12 samples of UK returnees have been tested for genotype, six of them observed positive, and three of these showed the COVID-19 variant in the early phase. As a low-income country, Pakistan, with impoverished medical facilities persistent, shortage of healthcare personnel, increasing medical costs, shortage of medical equipment, and severe financial woes, cannot cater to the re-epidemics of VOC-202012/01 if it occurs, then the health sector might collapse. The current pandemic has uncovered significant challenges and flaws in Pakistan's emergency and health processes concerning infectious disease prevention. Efficient government interventions and concrete actions must be taken to educate peoples and deal with their wrong perceptions. If policymakers do not act wisely, the country will face a massive tragedy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 Variant, Pakistan; Healthcare System.