The Sindh Health Department has dismissed reports claiming four deaths due to COVID-19 in Karachi.According to the department’s spokesperson, all four deceased patients were over 60 years old and suffered from pre-existing medical conditions, clarifying that the fatalities were not caused by the virus. The patients were under treatment at a private hospital, the statement added. 

The health department urged the public and media to avoid spreading sensationalized reports, warning that labeling these deaths as COVID-related could cause unnecessary panic. Earlier reports had claimed that the four individuals succumbed to COVID-19 amid an unusual spike in infections during Karachi’s peak summer season, with temperatures exceeding 40°C.

Prof. Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, a professor of infectious diseases at AKUH, had confirmed that the hospital has observed a significant rise in COVID-19 cases over the past two to three weeks. He described the trend as “unexpected” for this time of year, as the virus typically spreads more in colder months due to increased indoor activity and lower humidity. COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was declared a global pandemic in early 2020 after its detection in late 2019.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)