Omicron variant of coronavirus continues to spread across Pakistan and positivity ratio remained above 3 percent for the third straight day on Monday, said the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday.
According to NCOC data, 1,467 cases were reported from across the country after 43,540 tests in the last 24 hours. This took the positivity ratio to 3.33 percent.
The new cases moved overall infections past 1.307 million, while two more deaths were reported that increased the toll to 28,794, NCOC’s website showed.
A day earlier, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives and NCOC chief Asad Umar had urged the nation to remain cautious to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the face of a rising positivity rate.
“People should follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) to save themselves from COVID-19 which is currently spreading fast in the country,” he said while addressing a prize distribution ceremony organised by the NCOC to honour teams that worked to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
During the ceremony, Umar had said that the people who had not yet vaccinated must get a jab as soon as possible.
Asad said: “People who were fully vaccinated six months ago and are over 30 years of age should get a booster dose.”
Despite the closure of clinics and labs on Sunday, 759 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Karachi when 4,891 tests were conducted, officials said Monday morning.
The positivity ratio in Karachi was recorded at 15.52 percent, officials said.
In light of the rising cases, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Administrator Murtaza Wahab had hinted at resorting to strict COVID-19 restrictions to curb infection rates.
