By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) held a meeting on Monday to discuss the Coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) ahead of the Muharram processions.
A review meeting of the forum was held in Islamabad with Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar in the chair.
The forum deliberated upon upcoming Muharram-ul Haram processions and measures to ensure public health and safety. The NCOC session warned of a potential spike in coronavirus cases if health guidelines and code of conduct for Muharram-ul-Haram processions were not followed.
Speaking on the occasion, the Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said various sectors were shut down due to pandemic, but now the government has opened several sectors particularly tourism after virus cases declined in the country.
“There is a need to trace, track and test those people who are linked with various sectors,” he added.
The provinces apprised the NCOC plan of action to meet challenges post opening up various sectors.
It is pertinent to mention here that coronavirus cases have witnessed a massive decline in Pakistan in recent days and the government today has lifted almost all restrictions.
All restaurants, hotels, gyms, theatres, cinemas, beauty parlors, and other businesses have reopened across the country. Business hours and weekly holidays have been reverted back to pre-Covid-19 practice. The active coronavirus cases in the country stands at 17,799, while 6,097 people have died from the disease so far.
Meanwhile, Pakistan reported 539 new coronavirus cases and fifteen deaths over the last 24 hours, taking the national tally of infections to 284,660 and fatalities to 6,097.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), as many as 20,495 samples were tested for Covid-19 during the previous 24 hours, out of which 539 turned out to be positive.
Of the total Covid-19 patients, 260,764 have recuperated from the disease so far while the number of active cases stands at 17,799. Out of 1,859 ventilators earmarked for critically-ill Covid patients, only 149 are in use.
