Govt asked to set up virology labs to detect new viruses.

ISLAMABAD -- Amid an increase in highly contagious infections which have 'viral and bacterial symptoms', health experts have urged the government to set up virology laboratories across the country for the identification of new viruses.

According to professionals, a new mutation of Covid-19 is behind the surge in infections which 'is highly contagious but less lethal'.

'Its virulence has reduced due to which cases of Covid-19 may increase but the number of hospitalisations and deaths will not threaten the healthcare system,' experts said.

ENT Specialist Dr Qaiser Sajjad, while talking to Dawn, said that it had been observed across the country that a large number of people have a protracted cough that was also contagious. Even a single case would affect all the family members, Dr Sajjad added.

Expert says new Covid-19 variant highly contagious, though less lethal

'It is likely viral, but since we don't have a virology lab in Pakistan to study unknown viruses, it is very difficult to identify new viruses. That is why Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has been demanding to have one virology lab in each province or at least one at the federal level,' he said.

Dr Sajjad, who is former secretary general of the PMA, said that Covid-19 was rapidly spreading across the country but the majority of people would not get tested due to which the number of daily cases was much lower than the actual figure.

'The sub-variant of Omicron seems to be more transmissible and has been spreading fast because of our own carelessness. If a child is infected at school or in the street, they then transmit the virus to the entire family,' he added.

He said that besides coughing fits, some people complained that they had lost the sense of smell just like the patients who had contracted the Delta variant of coronavirus.

According to the ENT specialist, 'Whenever I prescribe my patients a course of antibiotics to deal with secondary infections, their fever settles. It shows that the new virus...