Laboratories across Karachi are already overwhelmed by the rising number of samples they have been receiving for Covid-19 testing and unable to cope up with the growing pressure, they are struggling to release results earlier than 48 hours to 72 hours of screening. “The delay is because of the [sudden] rush of people,” health department spokesperson MeeranYousufsaid. “Apart from testing new samples, we also have to retest [those of patients under treatment].”
Besides, she added, the health department was particularly focusing on testing elderly persons and high-risk patients, such as those with asthma, diabetes and cardiac disease. “The burden on the labs is enormous,” she remarked.
Along the same lines, a laboratory employee said, “People hardly came for voluntary tests last month. The abrupt rush now indicates that we will see an unprecedented burden [on laboratories] in the coming weeks.”
According to health department officials, Karachi’s laboratories have the collective capacity to test 14,000 samples per day.
But scores of people with Covid-19-like symptoms have been visiting laboratories for testing of late and with the change in weather and more and more people going for voluntary tests.
, the relevant authorities are now reopening laboratories, including the one at the University of Karachi (KU), that were closed after the pandemic abated.
The laboratory at KU, with a daily capacity to test around 3,500 samples, was temporarily closed after the number of Covid-19 cases declined in the country. “It will be made fully functional from Saturday,” said Yousuf.
