The total number of confirmed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections linked to the transmission incident in Karachi's Kulsum Bai Valika (KBV) Hospital rose to 80 as two more girls contracted the disease, according to the hospital receipts seen by media.
Last week, Sindh Labour Minister and Sindh Employees' Social Security Institution (SESSI) Chairman Saeed Ghani confirmed HIV infection in 78 children. The emergence of two new cases furthered the tally to at least 80.
Speaking to media, the father of a nine-year-old girl whose HIV infection was confirmed on Friday, said all three of his children had tested positive for the virus.
He said his three-year-old and 12-year-old sons tested positive for HIV a few months ago, while his nine-year-old daughter has now also been diagnosed with the virus. The father said his daughter was admitted to KBV Hospital towards the end of 2025 for treatment of a chest infection.
“As her condition deteriorated, doctors recommended an HIV test, which returned positive,” he lamented, adding that now three of his children were living with the disease, causing the entire family to live under immense emotional and psychological strain. The second case of HIV involved a three-year-old girl from Metroville Colony.
Her father told that his daughter also received treatment at KBV Hospital before being diagnosed HIV positive. “My daughter underwent a series of medical examinations before the doctors recommended an HIV test,” he explained.
He said the toddler’s health worsened with time and she was eventually tested HIV-positive. The parents called for a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident and demanded strict legal action against those found responsible.