Provinces told to step up vaccination

NCOC suggested installation of oxygen plants with special focus on far-flung areas

ISLAMABAD:

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) urged the provinces on Thursday to step up the vaccination process and suggested installation of oxygen plants in various parts of country with special focus on far-flung areas in the wake of spread of new Omicron variant of coronavirus worldwide.

The NCOC, which serves as the nerve centre of the government’s anti-Covid strategy, in its regular session discussed the disease prevalence situation, epidemic curve chart data, national vaccine strategy, including the area-wise vaccination targets.

The forum urged the provinces to step up their vaccination processes amid rising trend of Omicron variant across the globe stressing that vaccination was the only way to prevent the spread of new Covid variant in the country, according to a statement issued here.

The statement said that the forum also discussed the current status of oxygen production and distribution process across the country and suggested the installation of oxygen plants in various parts of country with special focus on far-flung areas which had logistic issues.

Since the coronavirus outbreak in the country in February 2020, the infectious disease had affected 1.28 million people. Among them 28,745 people died. In recent weeks, the number of daily new cases had declined to less than 500, while the single-day death toll had come down to a single-digit.

On Thursday, the NCOC said in its daily update of the disease prevalence that 377 people tested positive of the Covid-19, while eight patients breathed their last in the last 24 hours. The forum noted that national positivity ratio during the past 24 hours remained 0.85%.

At present, the NCOC said, there were 14,168 active Covid-19 cases across the country, including 945 people admitted to various Covid-dedicated health facilities. It added that 102 ventilators were occupied in the country.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)