New Chinese Covid strain BF.7 posing no threat in Pakistan, clarifies top health body

ISLAMABAD – The sub-variant of the highly infectious Covid variant is not an immediate threat to Pakistan, the National Institute of Health said Saturday.

The top health body issued a statement amid reports of threats in South Asian country, as nearly 37 million people in China contracted COVID on a single day this week.

Amid the reports, NIH issued a statement, saying “unverified news is circulating in the media regarding the threat of a new COVID-19 variant. The National Command and Operations Center affirms that at present there is no such threat. The situation is being closely monitored”.

An unverified news is circulating in the media regarding the threat of a new COVID-19 variant.
The National Command and Operations Center affirms that at present there is no such threat. The situation is being closely monitored.

— NIH Pakistan (@NIH_Pakistan) December 24, 2022

Earlier, reports in local media quoting the top monitoring body claimed that Pakistan was facing the threat of a new coronavirus variant spreading in China.

Health authorities were instructed to remain on high alert in wake of the situation in neighboring country. Authorities said they had made preparations to tackle the spread of the Omicron sub-variant BF.7.

The latest data from NIH reveals that 15 people tested positive for contagious virus in the last 24 hours and the positivity ratio remained at 0.40 percent.