As the country, especially Punjab and Sindh, remains in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged that the number of deaths at Karachi hospitals has recorded a significant increase with a large number of patients being brought in dead or in a near-death condition.
According to The News, over 300 such patients were brought to both public and private sector hospitals within the past two weeks. All of them were either declared dead on arrival (DOA), or showed COVID-19 symptoms.
The report in the English daily quoted a doctor on emergency duty at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) as saying that a 35-year-old woman was brought in dead. An X-ray revealed that she was suffering from some respiratory disease as a large patch could be seen on her lungs.
He said the report was sent to a senior pulmonologist treating coronavirus patients, who said that it was most likely a case of COVID-19.
Doctors also told the media outlet that only a few such cases could be examined in this regard as a majority of deceased patients could not undergo any tests or an autopsy.
A critical care specialist at JPMC said that the number of patients, who either died on arrival or within a few hours, rose every day for the past few weeks. The patients were mostly 45 to 60 years old.
Within the past 15 days, 109 patients have been brought in dead and 90 others were brought in a very critical condition and died mysteriously in a very short time at JPMC.
While private hospitals are reluctant to share any details in this regard, they have confirmed that the number of pneumonia-like symptoms in patients has been climbing. Indus Hospital sources also admitted that the number of patients in critical condition had soared sharply.
Sindh Health Department officials, on the other hand, refused to comment on the report.
