Karachi is seeing a sharp rise in seasonal influenza, with major hospitals reporting many more patients than usual. The Karachi flu outbreak is showing up clearly in emergency wards, where doctors say daily caseloads have climbed as cooler, dusty and polluted conditions help the virus spread.
At the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr Irfan Siddiqui, administrative coordinator and in-charge of the Emergency and Resuscitation Department, said the hospital was receiving more than 80 influenza patients each day. He said influenza numbers at JPMC had doubled, and pointed to changing weather, dust and air pollution as drivers of the increase. He also warned that the infection can move quickly through a household, so that one sick person can put an entire family at risk.
What hospitals are seeing
Civil Hospital Karachi is also reporting a growing load, with hospital officials saying more than 50 influenza cases are being recorded daily. Together with JPMC’s figures, that points to a heavy daily demand on two of the city’s main public hospitals.
Dr Faisal Mahmood said influenza cases had been rising rapidly across Karachi over the past one to two months. He said roughly 200 cases had been reported over the past few months, and cautioned that the real total could be much higher because most patients never get a diagnostic test. He noted that the influenza season usually peaks in December and January, but that this year’s surge had begun earlier than usual.
Vaccine shortage and public caution
Alongside the rise in illness, officials have reported a shortage of seasonal influenza vaccines across Pakistan. Both multinational and Chinese-manufactured flu vaccines have been described as unavailable in the market. Drug control authorities said limited stocks from Chinese manufacturers had been used up. Officials expect supplies of vaccines made by multinational pharmaceutical companies to arrive in November or December.
Authorities have also flagged attempts to sell allegedly counterfeit influenza vaccines during the shortage, which has raised concern about how people can obtain safe, genuine shots while stocks remain tight. Until fresh supplies arrive, doctors’ advice to limit household spread—rest, isolating when ill, and avoiding close contact with vulnerable relatives—matters more than usual for families dealing with this Karachi flu outbreak.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Past few months: About 200 influenza cases reported, with doctors saying untested illness means the true figure is likely higher.
- Past one to two months: Rapid increase in influenza cases across Karachi, according to Dr Faisal Mahmood.
- This season: Surge began earlier than the usual December–January peak.
- Present: JPMC receiving more than 80 influenza patients daily; Civil Hospital Karachi more than 50 daily; JPMC cases said to have doubled.
- November or December (expected): Multinational flu vaccine supplies due; Chinese-made stocks already exhausted.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Karachi ke bara hospitals mein flu ke patients bohot barh gaye hain. JPMC mein roz 80 se zyada aur Civil Hospital mein 50 se zyada cases aa rahe hain. Mausam, dhool aur pollution ki wajah se yeh bemari ghar walon mein jaldi fail sakti hai. Flu ki vaccine abhi market mein mushkil se mil rahi hai, is liye bemar hone par rest karein aur ghar ke kamzor logon se doori rakhein.
