Hundreds of people in Karachi have been visiting government hospitals daily with cough, fever, cold, flu, and chest congestion symptoms for a week now. Doctors have identified adenoviruses as the cause of viral infection.

“Diseases are increasing due to climate change and environmental pollution,” said Dr Qalb-e-Hasan, the Emergency Department in charge at the Civil Hospital.

Officials stated that more than 1,000 patients are daily visiting the government-run hospital with complaints about headaches, runny nose, fever and chills.

Most of them have tested positive for adenoviruses, a group of common viruses that infect airways and lungs, eyes, intestines, urinary tract, and nervous system in humans.

Adenoviruses can cause mild to severe illness, though serious illness is less common, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People with weakened immune systems, or existing respiratory or cardiac disease, are at higher risk of developing severe illness from an adenovirus infection.

The US National Health Agency says the virus is usually spread from an infected person to others through close personal contact, such as “touching or shaking hands, the air by coughing and sneezing, touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.”

Dr Hasan advised citizens to wear face masks when going out.