Is Pakistan's COVID-19 mortality rate much higher than global data? Here's a report

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its deadly variants have caused havoc across the world. Some health experts have claimed that the virus has been less lethal among Asians. A global data has shown that Pakistan's mortality rate is far higher than in many regions, a local media report stated. 

The COVID-19 mortality rate of Pakistan was 2.24 per cent against 1.97 per cent globally, DAWN reported citing a document of the country's National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). 

The report further included that 28,870 deaths were reported across the country so far, out of which 61 per cent were males and 39 per cent females. 

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The report quoted a member of the Scientific Task Force on COVID-19 Dr Javed Akram, who noted that more Pakistanis died beca­use they visited hospitals only after complications emerged rather than the infection itself. 

Dr Akram also highlighted the state of infrastructure as he blamed poor health and diagnostic facilities for the high number of casualties. 

While speaking to DAWN, he accepted that far more patients lost their lives in Pakistan compared to the global percentage of deaths.

"Unfortunately in Pakistan people do not visit hospitals with COVID-19; rather they visit hospitals once they develop complications. We lack state-of-the-art health and diagnostic facilities," he said, as quoted by DAWN. 

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He also said that that country's intensive care units (ICUs) remained under pressure or were overburdened which was one of the reasons why the COVID-19 mortality ratio increased. Although, the Pakistani government had claimed that many ventilators were never occupied in the country. 

As per the report, the minimum age of a Pakistani national who succumbed to the infection was two months and the maximum age was over 100 years, with the median age calculated at 62 years. 

Omicron variant in Pakistan

On December 13, Pakistani health authorities confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country. 

"The National Institute of Health, Islamabad has been able to confirm that a recently suspected sample from Karachi is indeed the 'Omicron variant' of SARS-CoV2," said the statement.

"This is the first confirmed case but continued surveillance of identified samples is in place to identify trends," it added.