Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered immediate restoration of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) keeping in view the emergence of new variant of Omicron virus.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister office, the premier has taken notice of the rising cases of the new variant of the pandemic.
PM Shehbaz has also sought a report from National Institute of Health (NIH) about the current COVID-19 situation.
وزیر اعظم شہباز شریف کا اومیکرون وائرس کی نئی ساخت کے بڑھتے ہوئے کیسیز کا نوٹس۔
— Prime Minister's Office (@PMO_PK) May 10, 2022
فوری طور پر NCOC کو بحال کیا جائے۔ وزیر اعظم کی ہدایت
وزارت قومی صحت سے موجودہ صورتحال کے متعلق رپورٹ طلب۔
The developments comes a day after the NIH on Monday announced that the first case of Omicron sub-variant has been detected in Pakistan.
“NIH has detected the first case of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1. This new sub-variant is causing increasing number of cases in different countries,” the institute said in a tweet.
“The best preventive measure (besides mask-wearing at crowded places) is COVID-19 vaccination. We strongly recommended getting vaccinated and all those due for boosters must get the shots immediately,” it added.
It is pertinent to mention that as Pakistan is witnessing a decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases, which have dropped significantly during the past few weeks.
As per the NIH data, 64 new cases of the virus were reported across the country in the last 24 hours and their positivity rate was 0.49 per cent. As many as 92 patients were receiving critical care.
Pakistan has celebrated Eidul Fitr without COVID-19 restrictions for the first time in two years.
On March 31, the then federal government had announced the closure of the NCOC, the body which was set up in March 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to collect, analyse and process information, transferring all its functions, roles and responsibilities to the NIH.
