Covid guidelines for Eidul Azha issued

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday reiterated the health ministry’s guidelines for Eidul Azha, urging people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent Covid-19 infection.

All cattle markets will be set up outside the cities with adherence to SOPs, read an official communique issued by the body leading the country's response to the pandemic.

The authority also made it mandatory for all staffers and dealers of the cattle markets to get vaccinated.

The NCOC directed the markets' administration to provide hand sanitisers, masks, and the facility of rapid antigen tests at the premises.

Moreover, it also imposed a ban on the sale and purchase of animals within cities.

A delegation led by the NCOC director general visited Gilgit-Baltistan to review the overall Covid-19 situation and vaccinations in the region, the statement added.

The delegation inspected vaccination centres set up in Gilgit, Shigar and Hunza and ensured the tribal elders that it had decided to vaccinate all registered population to ensure safety at tourist spots.

A special team was also formed on the occasion to ensure Covid-19 prevention and improved vaccinations in the region.

The NCOC said vaccinations administered so far in the country had crossed the 10.67 million mark.

The total tests conducted countrywide in the last 24 hours stood at 47,832 and 1,228 new cases were reported – 940 of them in Sindh alone – with the positivity rate at 2.56%. A day earlier, the country had recorded over 1,400 cases.

At least 29 people died of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the countrywide toll to 22,408.

More than 830,000 vaccines were administered in the month of June.

The cases reported in Sindh are the highest number since June 2, when 1,041 cases were registered.

Read Asad Umar warns of fourth Covid-19 wave in July if SOPs not followed

According to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, eight more patients succumbed to the virus as the provincial death toll surged to 5,520. The tally of cases with the new infections rose to 340,885.

Around 157 patients also recovered overnight, taking the total to 314,596.

At least 146 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 346,728.

According to Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Department, at least five more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total death count in the province reached 10,772. As many as 897 people recovered from the virus on Saturday, taking the tally for recoveries to 907,284.

At least seven more patients fell prey to coronavirus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,336.

According to health officials, the province reported 115 new cases as the tally reached 138,421. As many as 101 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 132,494.

At least 92 more people contracted coronavirus in Balochistan during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 27,387.

According to health officials, two more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll jumped to 312.

As many as 26,331 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reported at least 47 new coronavirus cases during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 20,505.

The Covid-19 death toll in the region stood at 586 as no new fatalities were reported, said the health department.

As many as 19,399 patients have recovered from the disease in the region, it added.

On June 28, the Ministry of National Health issued guidelines for Eidul Azha, warning that new variants of coronavirus might initiate a fourth wave of the pandemic because of a lot of activities during the auspicious occasion.

The guidelines are far less restrictive than seen during the previous Eidul Fitr, which was observed in the middle of May, amid the third wave of the infectious disease.

Thanks to strict implementation of the Covid-19 SOPs, the cases continued to decline.

The ministry guidelines suggested strict implementation of the SOPs in the cattle market. It advised people to prefer online shopping of sacrificial animals. However, those who wish to go to the market must ensure social distancing.

People without masks should not be allowed to enter the market, the guidelines said, adding that hand sanitizers should be placed at the entrances and exits of markets. For the sellers, the ministry made the vaccine mandatory.

Similarly, the guidelines urged the faithful to ensure social distancing during Eid congregations.

The ministry also urged people to avoid family events and hugging each other on the Eid day, because it could spread the disease.