Latest Omicron sub-variant detected in Pakistan
A man receives a dose of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a market in Karachi, Pakistan, December 16, 2021. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
Pakistan on Monday 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.
In a tweet, 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 case emerged a month after the government of former prime minister Imran Khan shut down the National Command and Operation Centre - a dedicated platform to fight Covid - in March.
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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.
Similarly, all coronavirus restrictions imposed in Pakistan were also lifted in March two weeks before the closure of the NCOC.