Daily Times

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday said it is closely monitoring the prevailing Covid-19 situation and if there is no improvement in compliance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the NCOC will have no choice but to revert to strict measures leading to re-closure of multiple sectors.

The NCOC special session to monitor increasing disease trend with all provincial chief secretaries attending via video link was held here with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar in chair. The forum said that there is clear resurgence of disease wherein mortality rate is also increasing.

During the session, all chief secretaries were asked to strictly implement SOPs and that strict punitive actions on SOPs violation should be initiated. The forum noted that perceived high-risk sectors of transport, markets, marriage halls, restaurants, public gatherings would be given special focus. Moreover, administrative actions would be initiated against SOPs’ violators whereas wearing of face mask and social distancing must be ensured, the forum said.

Separately, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said that there were threats of spread of Covid-19 and asked the citizens to continue implementing protective measures as per directions to stem the increase in coronavirus cases. In a media briefing, he said that keeping in view the increasing number of coronavirus cases in various cities of the country, citizens should follow social distancing and other precautionary measures to stop increasing local transmission of Covid-19 in the country. He advised the citizens to strictly follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) in markets, offices and houses to help mitigate exposure to the Covid-19. He said that there were reports of violation of SOPs in markets by citizens and not wearing mask in public places. He asked the citizens to support the efforts of government in its fight against Covid-19 and effectively implementing its relaxation policy to continue business activities and normalizing the lives of citizens. “If citizens fail to implement precautionary measures against the disease there are chances of re-occurrence of virus which can lead to restriction on business activities. Any further closure of industry due to negligence will badly affect our social life.” The total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Wednesday were recorded 9,378 as 660 more people tested positive for the deadly virus during the last 24 hours. Nineteen corona patients, 16 of whom were under treatment in hospital and three out of hospital died, according to the latest update issued by the NCOC. No Covid-affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Balochistan, while 88 ventilators elsewhere in Pakistan, out of 1,884 allocated for Covid-19 patients, were occupied.

Some 26,670 tests were conducted across the country on Tuesday, including 7,487 in Sindh, 9,386 in Punjab, 3,707 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 3,798 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 1,014 in Balochistan, 433 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and 845 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).