Lahore: 56 more people test positive for Delta variant

LAHORE: The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus has been detected in 56 more people over the last three days in the provincial capital of Punjab, Geo News reported Sunday, citing the health department. 

Per the report, out of 85 COVID-19 positive samples tested at a laboratory, 65 turned out to be carrying the highly contagious Delta variant.

A spokesman for the provincial health department said that the spread of the Delta variant is 50% faster as compared to other variants, adding that the situation could only be controlled if more and more people get themselves vaccinated.

It may be recalled that a day ago, the Delta variant was confirmed in 24 more citizens in the province.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus positivity ratio in Karachi has risen to 23% because of the presence of the Delta variant. As Geo News earlier noted, out of 90 samples tested at Karachi University's International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) labs on July 14, the Delta variant was detected in 83 of them. Health experts say that if the cases continue to increase, the death toll in the country is also likely to get higher.

Delta variant making up 50% of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan: Dr Nausheen Hamid

Last week, Federal Parliamentary Health Secretary Dr Nausheen Hamid had said that the  Delta variant of the coronavirus is now making up a whopping 50% of the total infections in Pakistan.

The lawmaker, speaking during Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan", said the COVID-19 vaccines that Pakistan is administering are effective against the Delta variant.

Dr Hamid highlighted that no vaccine in the world is 100% effective against the Delta variant, however, if a person gets the jab, the virus will not affect their health badly.