CM Sindh calls meeting on January 15 to discuss COVID-19 situation in Karachi

• According to sources, the COVID-19 task force will attend meeting.
• Health Department of Sindh and COVID specialists will talk about the ongoing situation in city, per reports. 
• Health specialist Dr Faheem Younus says Omicron variant is mild, however, it spreads really fast. 

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has called a meeting of the provincial government on Saturday, January 15, to discuss the COVID-19 situation in Karachi, Geo News reported Friday. 

According to sources, members of the COVID-19 task force, the Sindh Health Department, and coronavirus specialists will attend the meeting to talk about the ongoing situation in the city, per reports. 

Sources further stated that the meeting will be held at 10am at the CM House in Karachi. 

It should be noted that on Friday, Karachi's coronavirus positivity ratio reached 28.80% in the last 24 hours — according to NCOC's data — slightly lower than 31%, which was recorded on Thursday when 1,940 people had tested positive for the infectious disease,

CM Shah said the decision to impose a lockdown and close educational institutions will be taken in line with the NCOC recommendations.

Speaking to journalists in Karachi, CM Shah had further added that the coronavirus cases were spreading at a rapid pace, but the situation was under control as hospitalisations and patients in intensive care units (ICU) in the port city were less.

The Sindh CM highlighted that Karachi reported its highest number of COVID-19 cases a day earlier, but insisted that the pressure on hospitals is not increasing.

"Whatever strategy we adopt, it will be in consultation with NCOC," he reiterated.

Omicron mild but still dangerous: Dr Faheem Yonus

Speaking during Geo News' programme "Aaj Shazeb Khanzada Ke Saath,"  award-winning clinician and infectious disease expert from the United States Dr Faheem Younus urged the masses to follow the government's mandated coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) and urged them to were a mask and maintain social distancing.

He said" "We have to learn to live with the virus by taking precautionary steps". 

The health specialist further said that the Omicron variant is mild, however, it spreads really fast. 

The doctor warned that even though the Omicron variant causes mild infection as compared to the Delta variant, it is still dangerous and people must take all precautions to prevent themselves from getting infected.