MM News

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to immediately revive National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) keeping in view the emergence of s new sub-variant of Omicron virus.

According to the Prime Minister office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the rising cases of the new variant of the pandemic. He has also sought a report from National Institute of Health about COVID-19 situation.

Pakistan reported 31 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday but no death from the disease.The positivity rate stood at 0.28 percent. However, there are 103 active cases in critical condition.

The tally of infected people increased to 1,528,831 after adding the new cases, according to the data released by the ministry. A total of 30,375 people died from COVID-19 in Pakistan.

On Monday, Pakistan reported its first case of the latest sub-variant of Omicron, BA.2.1.2.1 – a new sub-variant that is responsible for a new wave of Covid-19 infections across the globe.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the presence of the new sub-variant in Pakistan as it urged people to follow social distancing protocols and get jabs against coronavirus.

The government of former prime minister Imran Khan shut down the National Command and Operation Centre in March. All coronavirus restrictions imposed in Pakistan were also lifted in March two weeks before the closure of the NCOC.

On the occasion, ex-NCOC head Asad Umar had said that the functions of the NCOC, such as monitoring the pandemic and administration of vaccines etc, would be taken over by the health ministry amid a fall in infections.