Coronavirus in Pakistan: Oxygen supply capacity is now under stress, says Asad Umar

• Asad Umar says the country's oxygen supply capacity is under stress.
  
• The minister says critical care patients now above 4500, which is 30% higher than the peak in June last year.
  
• He also points out that the country is making a huge mistake by not following the SOPs.

ISLAMABAD: Head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Asad Umar, on Monday said that the country's oxygen supply capacity is now under stress amid the third wave of coronavirus.

The federal minister, in a tweet, said that critical care patients in the country are now above 4500, which is 30% higher than the peak in June last year.

"Hospital fill up continuing to grow. Critical care patients now above 4500, which is 30% higher than the peak in June last year. Oxygen supply capacity in the country is now under stress," the minister said on Twitter.

He also pointed out that the country is making a huge mistake by not following the safety protocols. "Sop compliance remains low. We are making a huge mistake by not following sop's," Umar warned.

Read more: Pakistan reports 5,512 new coronavirus infections in last 24 hours

5,512 new cases 

Pakistan reported 5,512 new infections on Monday, rising the national tally to 761,437 as the country grapples with the third wave of coronavirus resulting in stricter restrictions by the authorities.

As per the official data by the NCOC, 60,162 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours from which 5,512 tests returned positive.

About 73 more succumbed to coronavirus during the past 24 hours, taking the country-wide death tally to 16,316.