June 25, 2020
By Asra Haque
LAHORE
International epidemiologists and health experts have warned global communities that the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic will peak from August to October, while Pakistan remain in the throes of the first wave, observed Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Provincial Minister of Sindh for Health, and Population Welfare during her speech in the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday June 24, 2020.
The statement came after a summary of the Sindh government’s efforts of reigning in the spread of the virus and fortifying the healthcare sector before the impending explosion of cases expected in the coming months. The federal government’s decision to reinstate the lockdown, albeit only in hotspot localities for a period of 15 days, is yielding some relieving results as the number of emerging infections has gone down from over 6,000 confirmed cases on a daily basis to around 4,000 in the past week.
However, the success of such measures may be temporary as the second and third waves are expected to hit various countries across the world and epidemiologists warn that subsequent waves will spread more aggressively than the first.
Given that Pakistan is currently struggling to contain its first wave, a global surge compounded with its own delayed second wave may wreak havoc of untold proportions on the lives and livelihood of Pakistanis.
