ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate crossed 3 percent mark for the first time in more than 70 days.
Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar, who also supervises COVID-19 strategy, urging the public to follow safety guidelines amid the deteriorating situation of the pandemic. In a tweet, the federal minister said that “after more than 70 days the national covid positivity ratio was higher than 3% yesterday”.
He said that the 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.
After more than 70 days the national covid positivity ratio was higher than 3% yesterday. Ncoc has tightened restrictions on some high risk public activities. However, the rising spread of the disease can only be controlled if people believe in the need for precautions
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) October 29, 2020
Pakistan reported 908 new cases of coronavirus on October 28, the highest number of positive cases since July 29. The authorities conducted 29,449 tests of which 908 returned positive while 16 people lost their lives to the deadly disease in the day.
The federal authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few days on the ignorance towards implementation of COVID-19 SOPs as the second wave hits the country.
On Wednesday, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) issued fresh rules regarding the closure of wedding halls and shopping malls and made the wearing of face mask mandatory.
The government had said that strict coronavirus restrictions are inevitable given the rise in COVID-19 deaths and the positivity ratio across Pakistan. The wearing of face masks has been made compulsory while shopping markets, restaurants and wedding halls have been instructed to close by 10PM.
