-Says next 10 days are crucial, any negligence could hamper positive trend
-Says implementation of SOPs vital in curbing COVID-19
-As of today, total positive cases surge to 269,191, fatalities reach to 5,709 while current active cases drop to 50,307
Bureau Report
QUETTA: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday warned that next 10 days were very crucial and any negligence by the people could hamper the positive trend of corona cases in the country.
“In today’s meeting of National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) with all the Chief Secretaries, it was stressed that next 10 days are very crucial,” Asad Umar said in a tweet. The minister who also chairs NCOC meetings asked the people to strictly follow the precautionary measures to avoid spread of corona virus during Eid shopping in markets, sacrificial animal markets, and especially on Eid day.
“If we do not observe precautionary measures during these days, the declining trend in corona cases could once again turn otherwise”, he added. In another tweet, the minister said that he held a NCOC session in Quetta, hosted by Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan. He acknowledged the improvement in positivity ratio in Balochistan and also appreciated leadership provided by the Chief Minister. It was emphasized that continued and in fact enhanced effort on contact tracing and testing would be essential, he added.
Moreover, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that provincial chief secretaries have been directed to ensure strict compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the occasion of Eidul Azha to avoid the spread of coronavirus. The planning minister was talking to media persons here on Thursday after chairing a special meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). He said that these SOPs have been prepared for the protection and health of the people. Umar said that the policy of smart lockdown has started yielding positive results.
Earlier, he chaired a meeting of the NCOC. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Balochistan chief secretary, Balochistan inspector general of police and other senior officials attended the meeting. The meeting discussed the latest coronavirus situation in the Balochistan province, SOPs and safety precautions for cattle markets in the city ahead of Eidul Azha.
The planning and development minister taking to Twitter said the NCC meeting lauded Balochistan government’s efforts for containing the spread of novel coronavirus. “The improvement in positivity ratio in Balochistan was acknowledged and leadership provided by the chief minister appreciated,” he tweeted. The NCOC last week held meetings in Karachi and Lahore to review the Covid-19 situation in the provinces.
Earlier, the NCOC had formulated the standard operating procedures on Monday regarding cattle markets and imposition of smart lockdown in several places of the country ahead of Eidul Azha. The forum was told that around 700 cattle markets will be functioning across Pakistan on the eve of Eidul Azha. A total of 1,763 new coronavirus cases were reported in the country during the last twenty-four hours taking the tally to 269,191, said the NCOC on Thursday.
The number of total active Covid-19 cases reduced to 50,307 from 51,283 a day earlier, as so far 213,175 people have recovered from the disease across Pakistan.
The death toll from the virus stands at 5,709 with 32 deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. A total of 22,408 coronavirus tests were carried out during the aforementioned period.
The total reported cases include include 115,213 in Sindh, 91,129 in Punjab, 32,753 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 11,517 in Balochistan, 14,722 in Islamabad, 1,896 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 1,961 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Meanwhile, Pakistan has confirmed 32 deaths in last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has surged to 269,191. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 5,709.
