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(REUTERS): The United Kingdom variant of coronavirus now accounts for up to 70 percent of COVID-19 cases across Pakistan, according to a research centre.
Talking to an international news agency, Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry, director at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), said, “There is a 60pc to 70pc prevalence of the UK variant in Pakistan today.” However, the researchers said, it was yet to be established if the variant was more deadly.
He further said deadly Indian variant of coronavirus had not been detected in Pakistan yet, but that was because they did not have the kits needed to detect it. “The kits to detect the variant had been ordered and would soon arrive in the country”, Chaudhry added.
“There is a high possibility that Indian variant had already reached Pakistan since the diasporas of the two countries interact closely in Gulf states,” he added.
The “UK variant”, known as B.1.1.7 and first identified in Britain late last year, is believed to be more transmissible than other previously dominant coronavirus variants. Overall, Pakistan has registered 854,240 infections and 18,797 deaths from COVID-19.
Pakistan has imposed strict nationwide restrictions in the lead-up to Eidul Fitr next week in a bid to control a spike in cases, including banning public transport over the holiday period.