ISLAMABAD: Coronavirus infections have crossed 700 for the first time since October 30, 2021. Pakistan has recently recorded 708 infections in a single day for the first time. On Monday, 3rd January 2021, Pakistan has reported 733 cases of the disease.
According to the NCOC, there has been a slight increase in the percentage of people who are getting infected.
Last 24 hours’ totals for all cases and fatalities in each state:
- There were 415 cases reported in Sindh.
- The province of Punjab had 217 cases and one fatality.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 39 cases, one fatality
- In Islamabad, there have been 35 instances.
- 2 cases involving Azad Jammu & Kashmir
- In Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, there were no new cases of infection.
As per NCOC, 642 cases are presently critical. Planning Minister Asad Umar warned that the cases of the new variant, Omicron, have been proliferating. Particularly, in Karachi, the increase in cases from the previous day’s 594 came as a follow-up to his earlier warning.
In response to the current spike in cases, the minister has stated that the most transmissible strain of Covid-19, Omicron, appears to be the reason for the increase. Increasing numbers of Omicron cases have been discovered by genome sequencing in Karachi, predominantly. On Sunday, he reminded followers to “remember that wearing a mask is your greatest defence.”
Omicron variant was found in 12 of a family’s members who tested positive in Karachi on Friday and a micro smart lockdown was implemented in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block 7. The variation of COVID has also caused alarm among medical specialists. As the two doses of vaccination are unlikely to prevent this infection, the Omicron variety of coronavirus may cause an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in our country, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the coming days, said Professor Khalid Mahmood, a physician at the Lady Reading Hospital.
Khyber Medical University Vice-chancellor Professor Ziaul Haq suggested a booster dosage for completely vaccinated patients in light of the new strain of the disease. “Projections and worldwide trends are worrying, and we may have a very heavy fifth wave on our way with predominant Omicron form,” he stated. Omicron has a doubling period of two to three days, but Delta’s is two weeks, and this might cause a tsunami of instances.
Professor Zia added that the Omicron variation has a significant proportion of asymptomatic individuals, therefore the undiscovered positive cases in Pakistan may already be much higher than the reported ones. There will be a series of booster vaccinations for persons over the age of 30 who have been completely vaccinated at least six months ago starting today. Due to Omicron’s proliferation in over 100 nations, the NCOC has approved booster injections for persons above the age of 30 on Dec. 20 – including Pakistan.
Omicron variant has been “expanding at a rapid rate” according to the NCOC. Strict measures involving mandatory vaccination were agreed upon at the meeting, according to a press statement from the organisation. Karachi’s positive has risen from 2% to 6% in the previous three days, according to the forum.
According to NCOC, individuals should get vaccinated and follow Covid-19 standard operating procedures to prevent the fifth wave from spreading. At the NCOC meeting, participants learned that “all-out efforts” were being made by collaborating provinces to guarantee that district-level immunisation objectives were met as quickly as feasible.
It is hard to block the transmission of a new strain of the virus since the globe is so linked, Umar said, adding that vaccination was the most reasonable approach to the threat. It has banned all travel to and from six South African nations and Hong Kong since the discovery of a new form of Ebola found November 27 of last year. Later, the restriction was expanded to include nine other countries: Croatia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam, Poland, and Zimbabwe, because of national security concerns. Additional 13 nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, Trinidad and Tobago and Azerbaijan, as well as Mexico, Sri Lanka and Russia were put in category B by the National Command and Operating Centre.
A negative PCR test report, only 48 hours before the boarding, is necessary for all travellers from these countries who are at least six years old.
