QAU Scientists Uncover Secrets Behind Pakistan’s COVID-19 Resilience

News Desk 

Islamabad: A team of scientists led by Dr Amir Ali Abbasi at the National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-I-Azam University (QAU), has unraveled the reasons behind Pakistan’s lower COVID-19 contagion rates during the pandemic’s initial phase (February to October 2020).

Despite neighboring countries and European nations facing higher mortality rates, Pakistan demonstrated resilience.

The research team conducted a comprehensive genetic investigation, analyzing 203 genome samples of the COVID-19 virus in Pakistan.

In his statement, Dr Amir disclosed that random genetic changes, driven by the virus’s adaptability, significantly compromised its fitness, making it struggle against infected individuals’ immune systems.

He suggested that these genetic alterations contributed to a reduction in the Coronavirus’s estimated virulence, thereby easing the health burden.

Acknowledging the complexity of the situation, Dr Amir highlighted additional factors, including the genetics of the Pakistani population, efficient healthcare systems, and effective lockdown strategies, which potentially influenced the reduced mortality rate.

The findings of the three-year study have been published in the prestigious Virology Journal from Springer Nature.

Dr Amir emphasized the study’s importance in understanding SARS-CoV-2’s behavior, providing crucial insights for future pandemic preparedness.