The city of Karachi has seen a significant drop in temperature due to cold winds blowing from Balochistan’s Quetta, increasing the intensity of the cold.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 12°C today. However, the cold wind made it 2 to 4 degrees cooler than the actual temperature.
Morning fog led to reduced visibility, horizontal visibility was recorded at 2,500 meters. Weather forecasters have predicted that the weather will remain cool and dry for the next 24 hours.
The northeast wind is expected to blow at a speed of 5 to 20 km/h throughout the day.
The maximum temperature for the next 24 hours is expected to be around 25 °C, the minimum temperature will be around 10 °C.
On the other hand, the dry weather, welcomed by some, has brought an increase in health problems. As the city begins to feel the icy breath of winter, hospitals are bearing the brunt.
Karachi Civil Hospital (MS) Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Bukhari reported an influx of patients suffering from flu, cold, cough and chest infections, with hundreds seeking treatment daily.
He advised residents to bundle up in warm clothes, cover their heads and consume nutritious broths and warm drinks to ward off illness.
Dr. Bukhari also urged caution among school-age children, stressing the importance of full-sleeved clothing and hats. “Don’t let children sleep under fans or ride motorbikes without adequate protection as direct exposure to cold wind can lead to chest infections,” he warned.
Responding to similar concerns, Jinnah City Hospital reported dozens of cases of pneumonia and flu in its emergency departments.
Dr Abdul Wahid Rajput, medical superintendent of the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Center in Nipa, has seen an increase in measles and pneumonia cases due to falling temperatures.
He appealed to parents to monitor children for symptoms such as fever and rashes and recommended immediate medical consultation.
