Covid-19 on the rise.

IN a development that ought to be watched closely by the authorities, Covid-19 infections saw a sudden increase in a span of 24 hours, with 168 new cases detected. It has pushed the national positivity rate to 3pc - the highest since September 2022 - with cities like Karachi and Islamabad exceeding 5pc and 6pc respectively. Though officials are saying that the mortality rate of the current strain is low, at least one Covid-19-related death has been reported in Lahore. The patient was an elderly woman who came to hospital with shortness of breath, and it is unclear if she had been fully vaccinated. Regardless, her death from Covid-19 marks the first coronavirus-related death in 2023. Authorities suggest that people should not panic as young and even middle-aged Covid-19 patients are unlikely to experience serious complications from the new strain. But, as we have always feared with this virus, the elderly and the immunocompromised - such as patients with diabetes, cancer and heart disease - are at risk of serious illness or even death.

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