Average Covid positivity rate up by 40% in last four days: NCOC

National body on Covid-19 expresses concern over alarming increase in hospitalisations, deaths

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) noted on Friday that the average Covid positivity rate had risen by 40 per cent in the last four days.

Expressing concern at the alarming increase in the positivity rate, the national body on coronavirus was also perturbed over the increasing number of hospital admissions and deaths from the deadly virus.

During a morning session held by the NCOC, health officials presented Pakistan’s Covid related data, where the forum noted that the virus positivity ratio was on the increase for a fifth consecutive day.

The NCOC observed that the average national positivity rate was 40 percent higher in the last four days with a higher number of deaths as well.

It was also noted that Muzafarabad, Hyderabad, Karachi and Gilgit have a higher positivity ratio among other areas across the country.

Health officials revealed that hospital admissions were on the increase, particularly in Punjab, with a higher number of critical patients currently in admission.

Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik further updated the forum on Covid-related figures in Punjab. According to the data, the positivity ratio in the province increased to 1.33 per cent in comparison to the previous 0.92 per cent, Malik revealed.

The death ratio in Punjab stood at six compared to 1.6 per cent on September 1st, the senior official added.

Pakistan’s current case fatality rate stands at 2.06 per cent against the global percentage of 2.72. Among the total number of national cases males constitute 71 per cent of the total death, of which 76 per cent are over the age of 50, according to the data shared at the NCOC forum.

Earlier on Wednesday, NCOC had warned against another lockdown if SOPs continued to be violated.

The body categorically stated that businesses will have to face another lockdown and strict action will be taken against those violating SOPs.

Chief secretaries from all provinces were asked to ensure that SOPs were implemented strictly and special attention was paid to high risk sectors like transport, markets, wedding halls, restaurants and public gatherings.

NCOC underscored that the number of corona patients and deaths was on the rise again and stressed that strict monitoring of public gathering should be ensured to limit the increase in the number of cases.

“People should use masks and maintain social distance,” the statement issued by NCOC said

The statement further said that the government will take strict actions against violators of SOPs and impose heavy fine on them. If the SOPs are not implemented properly services might have to be shut down.