COVID-19 resurge: PM Imran Khan to chair NCC meeting today

Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to chair a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting today to deliberate over the growing trend of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The premier summoned the meeting yesterday, hours after Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) discussed additional measures to control rising spread of the coronavirus.

Umar said the NCOC will present recommendations before the NCC today. “Need to take immediate measures which have the most impact on disease spread without curtailing economic activity,” he added.

COVID-19 resurge

Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity rate crossed 4% for the second consecutive day as 1,167 out of 27,984 samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, bringing the total tally to 336,260.

The country also reported 14 deaths – 12 in hospital while two passed away at home. At least 315,446 people have recovered across the country while the number of active cases stands at 13,965.

Strict measures

The federal and provincial governments have issued multiple warnings over the past few days, urging public to follow COVID-19 SOPs. Last week, the NCOC tightened restrictions on high risk public activities and made face masks mandatory in public spaces.

The authorities also reduced timings for restaurants and weddings to 10:00pm.

In a bid to discourage violation of social distancing and other SOPs, the NCOC sought people’s help to avoid a second wave of infections.

“With the arrival of second wave and continued wide scale violation of the SOPs, the NCOC has decided to seek citizens help for SOP compliance,” tweeted Umar.

He asked people to take pictures of SOPs violations such as not wearing masks or not maintaining social distancing in crowded places and send those images to a government-issued number along with the location.

The number is +92 335 3336262.