AKUH, NIH confirm presence of Omicron variant in Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistani health authorities on Monday confirmed the presence of ‘Omicron variant’ of SARS-CoV-2 in the country, saying with the help of whole genome sequencing, they were able to confirm that a 65-year-old woman in Karachi was infected with the new and highly transmissible variant of coronavirus.

The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), which reported the presence of Omicron variant through their genomic surveillance system and the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, performed the whole genome sequencing of the sample of virus from Karachi’s female resident and confirmed that she had been infected with the Omicron variant.

Following the confirmation of Omicron variant’s presence in Karachi, the District Health Officer (DHO) of the District East Dr Jamil Ahmed Shaikh urged the district administration to take preventive measures around the residence of Omicron-infected woman, who lives in Nishtar Park, Soldier Bazaar locality of the city, to stop further spread of the virus in the city.

Confirming the presence of Omicron variant, an AKU official Anam Haleem said gene sequencing at the AKUH has confirmed the presence of the Covid-19 Omicron variant in the first patient. The patient is at home and doing well. So far, no other patients with Covid-19 Omicron have been identified at the AKUH

Dr. Zahra Hasan, Professor of Molecular Pathology at AKUH, who initially reported the presence of Omicron variant last Thursday, told The News that they had performed the whole genome sequencing of the sample of the virus from the infected woman and the gene sequencing confirmed that she was infected with the variant.

“It was the only sample we were suspecting of to be the Omicron variant and whole genome sequencing confirmed it,” she said and added that at the moment, they had no other sample under analysis for the presence of Omicron variant in the country.

Officials at the NIH Islamabad and National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) also confirmed the presence of Omicron variant in the sample of a woman from Karachi and said this was the first confirmed case but continued surveillance of suspected samples was in place to identify the trends.

“Whole genome sequencing of the sample received from Karachi has confirmed that the woman was infected with the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2. We don’t have any other suspected case of Omicron variant but surveillance of samples is underway to see the trend,” an official of the NIH said while talking to The News.

As the affected woman who was found to be infected with the Omicron variant in Karachi had no travel history, experts claimed that the Omicron variant was not ‘very much present’ and circulating in the community, saying more cases of Omicron variant were expected to be identified in the days to come with continued surveillance.

“Presence of Omicron variant in a woman with no travel history indicates that its local transmission has started. Omicron is highly transmissible variant but not as lethal as it is being presumed. However, it can prove to be serious for those with weak immunity and those who are not vaccinated”, Dr. Faisal Mehmood, Infectious Diseases Expert at AKUH, said.

Advising people to get vaccinated, he said all those who have not got their second doses should get the second shots while those eligible of having the booster shots, should get the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to protect themselves against the this highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus.