Positivity rate cross 4pc as 1,123 more contract COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus positivity rate continues to increase in the country and crossed 4 percent, as 1,123 more people tested positive after the tests of 21,688 over the last twenty-four hours, according to the data shared by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Monday.
According to the latest details disclosed by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 12 more people died of the disease, taking the death toll to 6,835. There is a total of 13,242 active cases of the coronavirus as 315,016 patients have recovered.
So far, Sindh has reported 146,331 cases, Punjab 104,554 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 39,649, Balochistan 15,954, Islamabad 20,089, Gilgit Baltistan 4,279 and Azad Jammu and Kashmir has reported 4,237 cases. A total of 879 patients are under treatment in hospitals across the country.
Meanwhile, the novel coronavirus has claimed three more lives and infected 283 people during the last 24 hours in Punjab, the provincial health department announced on Monday.
In a statement on the daily COVID-19 situation, the spokesperson of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Punjab said that three more people succumbed to the deadly virus in 24 hours, taking the death toll to 2,365 in the province. The spokesperson maintained that 283 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the province during the last 24 hours. The province has overall reported 104,554 cases out of which 97,471 have recovered their health.
Meanwhile, Garho High School in Thatta was closed for a week on Monday after eleven students were diagnosed with coronavirus. The school has been closed for a week as a precautionary measure for disinfection.
The samples of the students and the teachers were taken last week, out of which 11 students have been declared positive. It was revealed last month that most of the schools across Sindh were found flouting the mask and social distancing rules, according to a monitoring report on the implementation of SOPs at educational institutions.
Officials of the Evaluation and Monitoring Department visited Sindh’s 2,108 schools and sealed 46 of them for violating the government-prescribed SOPs, the report had said.
They found most of the schools disregarding social distancing and use of mask protocols. Hand sanitizer which was made mandatory at educational institutions was also found missing at these schools, the report disclosed. Moreover, there was a lack of cleanliness in classrooms and washrooms of many schools, the report said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting on Tuesday (today) to discuss the growing trend of COVID-19 infections in the country.
The Premier will be briefed by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on the coronavirus situation. The development comes hours after Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the government is deliberating over additional measures to contain the rising spread of coronavirus in the population.
Taking to Twitter, Umar said the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) discussed additional measures on Monday to control the rising spread of COVID-19.
“Recommendations will be tabled in the NCC being called for tomorrow,” he continued. “Need to take immediate measures which have the most impact on disease spread without curtailing economic activity.”
Pakistan’s positivity rate surged past 4 percent on Sunday, the highest since August. The country recorded 1,123 new COVID-19 cases in a single day – highest in over three months. At least 12 people succumbed to the virus.
The federal authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few days on the ignorance towards implementation of COVID-19 SOPs as a second wave hits the country.
Last week, NCOC issued fresh rules regarding the closure of wedding halls and shopping malls and made the wearing of face masks mandatory.
“NCOC has tightened restrictions on some high-risk public activities but the rising spread of the disease can only be controlled if people believe in the need for precautions,” said Umar. – TLTP